


Be By My Side

by funfan



Series: Durch jedes Feuer [2]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Football Hooliganism, Homophobia, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-04-10 13:10:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 56
Words: 172,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4393199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funfan/pseuds/funfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his retirement, Marco is having trouble settling in in his new life and his world might well be turned upside down again when his boyfriend Seb gets an unexpected call.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Lately, Marco and Seb wanted to come back for a second story and I simply couldn't say no to them. I hope you will have as much fun reading their next story as I have writing it. It is set roughly ten years after 'And Now The Whole World Knows', I only made Nico a bit older for this story. You don't have to be familiar with the first fic but it certainly helps because there might be some references to it later on. I hope you will enjoy reading this chapter and will share your opinion and feelings about it with me. Your feedback is the most precious thing for me and I always love answering your comments. :-)

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Yvonne shot her son a last concerned look. She stood with her husband in the front door of Marco’s and Seb’s house and she seemed very anxious.

“Yes Mom, I’m sure.” Nico sighed. Marco still couldn’t believe how fast he had grown up. He looked a lot like his uncle, but he had a bit shorter build and his hair was the color of a mixture of brown and yellow. His beard was also stronger than Marco’s; he already had to shave regularly.

“I guess we could still book a room for you, too.” She ignored his answer, trying to persuade her older son to go with them for a week to the Alps. The youngest member of the family had just recovered from a nasty pneumonia and the doctors had told them that the mountain air would do him good.

“Mom, I’ll be fine.” Nico said with the annoyed tone of every teenage boy.

“Did you pack everything you will need?” The motherly love and worry wasn’t easy to appease.

“Yes.” He nodded.

“If not, just ask Marco to drive you home.”

“I will.” Nico nodded again. He kept his cool for now but Marco saw that his movements were getting more impatient and he thought that this was the right time to intervene.

“We will be fine, Yvonne.” He smiled, stepping forward and putting his hand on Nico’s shoulder.

“Yes, right.” She finally gave in, seeing that she had no chance against two – one and a half men. “Come on, give me a goodbye kiss.” She opened her arms.

“Mom, I’m seventeen!” Nico snapped.

“You know, there was a time when you would count each morning and evening we spent apart and you would give me a kiss for every one of them.” Yvonne smiled, dwelling in the memory.

“It must have been a long time ago.” Nico said but he stepped to his mother and gave her a quick hug, patting her shoulder a few times.

“Just take care.” She whispered before she let go of Nico. “Listen to your uncle.” She told her son, looking at Marco and then over his shoulder. Her eyes rested on Seb who had been staying in the background all this time. “And don’t listen to Seb.” She added, earning a smile from the raven-haired man. Some things never changed and Yvonne Reus’ disapproval of him was one of them.

“Don’t worry, Mom.” Nico reassured his mother for the umpteenth time. “Enjoy your vacation and have a great time!”

Yvonne nodded, fighting with her tears and she let herself be pulled away by her husband who only waved his hand at Nico before they turned around and left. Nico didn’t waste any time, he closed the door before his mother would change her mind. He let out a sigh of relief.

“Finally.” He mumbled and Seb had to bite back the urge to laugh. He remembered his own teenage years and although they had been bad for different reasons, he could understand what Nico was going through.

“She’s only worried about you.” Marco defended his sister.

“Well, she could do that quieter.” Nico shrugged. “Can’t you old men chill out sometimes?” He said, starting off towards what would be his room for the next week.

“Hey, I’m not that old!” Marco snapped with feigned resentment. Nico stopped on his way and turned back to his uncle with a raised eyebrow.

“You’re almost forty.” He stated and this time, Seb couldn’t stop himself from laughing. Marco tried to silence him with a cutting glance, but he had no power there. There were only three years between them, but Nico always considered Marco ‘almost forty’ and him ‘in his thirties’. The two things were practically the same, but they sounded so differently.

“And you will be eighteen in a year.” Marco tried to hit back, but it only found pleased ears.

“My point exactly!” Nico grinned satisfied and Seb couldn’t miss the chance to high-five with him as he passed by him.

“You’re unbelievable!” Marco snorted when Nico was out of earshot and they were left alone in the hall. “I’m educating my nephew and you only support him?”

“Well, maybe you should have educated me better.” Seb winked at him and he snaked his arm around Marco’s still slim waist. He might have retired three years earlier, but he still was in top shape and he did everything to stay like that. “Like it or not, Nico has a point. He’s not a child anymore. Not an adult, either, but you can’t treat him like a small kid who can’t take care of himself.”

“I know, but he is the closest I have ever had to a child and I have trouble accepting that he is almost grown-up now.” Marco said, showing his boyfriend a knowing look.

“Please don’t start with it.” Seb sighed and drew back his hand.

“Start with what?” Marco asked although he knew very well what Seb meant.

“Your ‘I want a kid’ drama.”

“ _Drama_?” Marco snapped, hurt. “It’s not a drama, I just don’t understand why we can’t adopt a kid. Do you think that we would make awful parents?”

“It’s not that.” Seb shook his head. They had been here so many times but it seemed that Marco never got enough of it. “Let me put it this way: you always complain about how Nico talks with Yvonne. Do you want to go through that every single day?”

“You’re wrong. With our own kid, it would be different.” Marco said.

“Please, I don’t want to have a fight.” Seb flinched.

“I’m not fighting with you.” Marco said calmly.

“Great. We’re on the same page, then.” Seb smiled and walked to the living room before Marco could come up with another argument for adopting a child.

Seb knew that he would and this wasn’t the last time he had heard about his boyfriend’s biggest dream. Actually, he had been hearing about it more often lately with Marco’s fatherly feelings emerging during his idle days. The blonde hadn’t found his place in the world after his retirement. He was the BVB’s ambassador and he made a few appearances on TV but that was it. Apart from that, he was mostly sitting at home.

Seb could understand him; for someone whose life had been closely followed during his active years, retirement must have been heaven on earth. Only, it made Marco a grumpy man who couldn’t understand Seb and he had no idea how he should tell him why he didn’t want a kid. When he grew up, he saw that despite all his efforts, he had become very much like his father and he had been an awful one. And Seb feared that he would copy him in raising a kid, too.

 

* * *

 

“So there will be this party at Sven’s–” Nico tried over their lunch but he was cut short by Marco’s strict voice.

“Absolutely not!” He said, leaving no place for objections. Seb felt two pairs of eyes glued to him but for different reasons. Nico was looking for an ally and Marco was telling him silently to stay out of this. He thought it wiser to listen to his boyfriend and he stared at his plate for the sake of the peace of the household.

“But everyone will be there!” Nico pouted.

“You won’t and we’re leaving it at that.” Marco repeated. “Your mother told me to take care of you. I don’t think she imagined it by letting you go to a house party.”

“I thought that you would be more understanding.” Nico mumbled.

“Sorry for letting you down” Marco shrugged. “, but I won’t change my mind.”

The tension was rising and Seb had never been more grateful that his phone started to ring. He sprung up from his chair, excusing himself and left for the living room, relieved.

“Hello?” He picked up his mobile. “Oh, I haven’t expected you to call. How are you doing?” He asked when the caller introduced himself. Seb knew that he wasn’t a very talkative person when it came to personal talks and he wasn’t mistaken. He only got a casual ‘fine’ as an answer before the other one got down to business, revealing the reason for his call.

“What?” Seb gaped when he was finished. He paled, his hands started to tremble and he had to sit down to make sure that he wouldn’t faint. “Are you serious?”

“No, it’s not that.” He stammered after he got his answer. “I just don’t know what to say right now. Can I call you back in a few hours?” He asked. “Thanks for calling. It– means a lot.” He said but the call had been ended from the other end of the line already.

He took a few deep breaths to gather enough strength to stand up again and he stumbled back into the kitchen. Marco was alone, washing the plates and Seb slumped down on his chair, staring blankly at the leftover of his lunch.

“Are you going to finish it?” Marco asked, bringing Seb back to reality. The raven-haired was startled and he looked at his boyfriend as if he didn’t know what was going on.

“No, thank you.” He mumbled. He had lost his appetite completely and what he had eaten earlier threatened to make a second appearance. “Where’s Nico?” He tried to avert Marco’s attention from him because it would start an avalanche of questions.

“Sulking in his room.” Marco jerked his head in that direction. “Is everything alright, Seb?” He asked concerned.

“Yeah, sure.” Seb nodded. Marco wasn’t satisfied with his answer and he measured him for long seconds. Seb smiled at him weakly. He would tell Marco what was going on, but he had to digest the news alone, first.

 

* * *

 

“Can I come in?” Seb asked, opening the door to Nico’s room. The boy was lying on his bed listening to some shitty music not to Seb’s liking and stared at the ceiling with a blank expression.

“Sure.” He said when he noticed his visitor and he sat up to turn down the volume a bit. He had already made himself comfortable, his things were lying around in every part of the room.

“When will you stop sulking, Nico?” He asked because the boy hadn’t come out of his room for the entire day. “Marco is only worried about you and he doesn’t want to risk you getting hurt. Yvonne would kill him in that case and between you and me, she can be very scary.”

His comment made Nico smile and his features softened a bit. “I know.” He nodded. “But I’m not a kid anymore. Mom is very annoying with her extra-care. Why can’t she be like every other parent?”

“Believe me, I’ve seen the other extreme and you don’t want that, either. And she isn’t as horrible as you think. You are just a teenager and I doubt that there is a single teenage boy satisfied with his parents’ control.” Seb explained. “It will pass.”

“Right, and ‘I will understand why she’s doing it’ when I’ll have kids on my own.” Nico mocked.

“No, I’ll never tell you that shit.” Seb said simply and Nico laughed out loud.

“You are a cool guy, Seb.” He said. “I like talking to you. I wish Dad was more like you!” His words struck Seb more than they should have, but he was too busy solving a puzzle to care about that right now.

“Tell me, if it’s so great talking to me, why are you checking the time every second?” He asked after Nico did it for the hundredth time since Seb entered his room. The boy quickly looked away as if he didn’t know what Seb was talking about, but Seb saw through his pretense already. “Does it have to do anything with you being fully dressed for a– hm, let’s see – _house party_? Or that the music was just loud enough to drown you sneaking out through the window?”

Nico blushed and he couldn’t have been more unambiguous about him being caught. He looked around startled, as if he was suspecting that Marco was somewhere around, listening to them and announcing that he was grounded for the rest of the week. When he made sure that there was no threat of such a scenario, he turned back to Seb again.

“You don’t understand. I _must_ be at this party. _Everyone_ will be there. Leni and the others.” He said desperately, ignorant of the fact that he had just given away the true reason for his enthusiasm to go to that party.

“Leni, I see.” Seb smiled under his breath. “We shouldn’t waste any time, then.” He stood up and walked to the speakers, turning the volume up and opening the window for Nico. “Wait for me on the corner.” He said and he walked out of the room, leaving behind a stunned Nico.

He rushed to the hall, only stopping in the doorway of the living room. “Going out to get some beer, do you want something?” He asked Marco who was watching an old movie. He didn’t even look at his boyfriend, he just shook his head.

Seb stepped into his shoes and grabbed his car keys. Two minutes later, he stopped to pick up Nico who still didn’t seem to have accepted that Seb was going to help him. Only when they stopped in front of Sven’s house did he relax.

“Wow, thank you Seb, you’re the best!” He yelled much louder than Seb would have liked. Maybe he was getting old.

“I’ll keep that in mind when your uncle yells my head off.” He snickered.

“I don’t think he will.” Nico said, already unbuckling his seat belt and his hand on the door handle.

“Not so fast.” Seb stopped him. “You won’t get into any trouble, do I make myself clear?” He asked. God, he hated himself! He sounded like the strict parent he had never wanted to be. Nico nodded and tugged at the door handle again. “If something happens, you call me and I’ll come pick you up.”

“I’ll behave, Seb.” Nico reassured him and opened the door.

“Wait! You’ve had the talk about the bees and the flowers, right?” He asked finally, just to put Nico in an uncomfortable situation. He succeeded because Nico blushed and quickly said goodbye to him before slamming the door shut.

 

* * *

 

“Nico’s gone!” Marco shouted instead of greeting Seb when he got home. He hadn’t even bothered to buy beers to keep up his cover. He had known that Marco would notice that Nico was gone and he would know that Seb had something to do with it.

“You don’t say!” He gaped, feigning surprise.

“He went to that party, right?” Marco yelled accusingly. “And you took him there! Seb, I can’t believe it! I told him clearly that he couldn’t go! Are you deliberately going against what I say?”

“Marco, calm down.” Seb waved away his boyfriend’s worry. “He wanted to sneak out of the window and I couldn’t stop him. Should I have let him go there on his own? Driving him seemed the better option.”

“No, the better option would have been telling me about his plan!” Marco shouted, not a bit calmer than earlier.

“I won’t tell you on anyone, especially not Nico. He’s seventeen, he can make some of his own decisions.” Seb walked to the living room casually.

“But what if he gets drunk?” Marco protested but Seb knew that he was winning this argument.

“Then he will have a life of a normal teenager.” Seb shrugged. “I got drunk a few times when I was his age. I got drunk earlier!” He said and Marco snorted mockingly. “What was that, _darling_?” Seb asked cuttingly.

“Nothing. I just don’t think your teenage and young adult years should be taken as an example.” Marco said and he sat down next to Seb. He was still anxious, but he had apparently accepted his defeat.

“And yours were so perfect, right?” Seb laughed jokingly. “No offense, but when you were eighteen, you started to drive without a license, so I don’t really see your upper hand here.”

“Shut up!” Marco snapped and boxed him in the arm playfully.

“On a more serious note, I wanted Nico out of the way anyways.” Seb said after a minute of silence.

“You knew well beforehand that he would be here. You could have taken care of your hm, needs yesterday.” Marco said.

“I’m not talking about sex, Marco!” Seb groused. He didn’t know how to start this, but he knew that he had to do it somehow. He took a deep breath and croaked out. “I need to tell you something.”

Marco finally realized that it was as serious as Seb’s face was and he paled immediately, his concern for Nico replaced by the concern for his love. He stroked Seb’s shoulder a few times and he pulled him closer to himself.

“Is this about the adoption?” Marco asked. “I can understand if you don’t want a kid, Seb. It’s a big responsibility and we can wait with it. It’s only that we don’t ever talk about it properly and I–”

“Could you please listen to me for a moment and hear me out?” Seb had enough of his boyfriend’s fixation with kids. “I need your advice on a completely different topic. On a professional question.”

“Sorry, Seb. I’m listening.” Marco said, his big and concerned eyes scanning Seb’s face.

“You might now that Wagner is leaving the reserve team at the end of the season.” Seb started. He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. “I’ve been mostly helping out with the main squad for the last few years, but I also worked with the youth team and Aki told me that they were considering offering me a contract as the reserve team’s head coach.” He said what had been on his mind for days. It was out and he already felt better now that he had shared one part of his dilemma with someone else. But it was the easier part and just half of the truth.

“That’s wonderful news!” Marco cried out, forgetting about his promise. He pulled in Seb for a tight embrace. “I’m so proud of you! It’s a big step up in your career and if you ask me, you should take it. You are more than ready, I don’t even know why you are hesitating!”

“Because–” Seb stopped his boyfriend before he could get carried away too much. “Kloppo called me today. He’s taking over Manchester United in June. Buvač is leaving for some other team and Kloppo needs an assistant manager.” He lay down the situation, steeling himself for the last piece of the puzzle. “And today he asked me if I were interested.”


	2. Dilemma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems that my boys have a lot to tell me and I can't stop them from whispering their story into my ears. :-) I'm grateful for the warm welcome this story got right at the start, it feels so wonderful to know that so many of you care about Marco and Seb. Please, keep up the good work if you liked this chapter, or let me know what you didn't like. :-)
> 
> A huge and special thank you to Blue_Night for supporting me and my stories all the time and never hesitating to beta any chapter I might send to her.

It took Marco a few seconds to digest what his boyfriend had said. Seb had slowly but surely built a prominent position at BVB and he had learned a lot about coaching but the blonde would have never had thought that his boyfriend would get two very big offers at the same time that seemed equally promising. He stared at Seb, trying to read his face to get an idea about which option he favored, but the raven-haired only showed his usual impassive look.

“Seb, that’s wonderful news!” He cheered joyously in the end.

“Is it?” The younger one raised an eyebrow and now he looked uncertain of himself, something that happened only rarely. “With one offer, I would have no problem. But what am I supposed to do now?” He asked Marco, because maybe for the first time in his life, he didn’t know the answer.

And Marco couldn’t help him out, either.  Their roles had been reversed. During his career, it had always been Marco who had sought Seb’s advice, and he had gotten the right one every time. But now, when his boyfriend needed his opinion, he realized that he didn’t know what to say. If there was anyone in the room who could tell what the right step was, it had to be Seb.

“I think you are aware of the real opportunities the most.” He croaked out finally, nudging Seb towards sharing his true feelings about the two offers. Kloppo must have had called him around noon and since then, Seb had surely analyzed the situation.

“Well, on one hand” Seb started, “there’s BVB. Pretty straightforward. Still under the guidance of the main team but I would have more freedom and bigger responsibility, but nothing too big. I know the environment and I think I could meet the expectations. But on the long run, it’s the less promising prospect. If I proved myself at that level what would I gain? I can stay there longer or maybe a third-tier team will want me as their head coach? But I hardly think so. I don’t think anyone can put up with me being the head coach for a long time.”

“Oh, come on, Seb.” Marco smiled. “You would do perfectly as a head coach.” He reassured him, fearing that maybe his boyfriend wasn’t sure about his own skills.

“I know, at least when it comes to the sporting aspect.” Seb said without hesitation and Marco had to laugh out loud. One thing was clear, no one could accuse Seb of modesty. “But my style wouldn’t make me a good coach. You know, dealing with the media, financial things and so on. That’s not my way. I must stay in the background if I want to have a successful career.” He said determined. “But I’m not sure if England is the right place for that.”

“Why not?” Marco asked stunned.

“Well, they haven’t quite become the stronghold of acceptance. Would they tolerate a gay coach?” He mused out loud.

“That’s stupid, Seb!” Marco scolded him. How could his boyfriend take into account such things? This was the last thing that should have troubled him.

“Oh, really? Do I have to remind you what happened in Liverpool?” Seb retorted and it left Marco speechless.

He tried to gulp, only there was nothing to swallow because his mouth and throat had run dry. No, he didn’t have to be reminded of what had happened in Liverpool. It had been two years after his coming out, when anyone had expected it the least. The hosts had been two goals up and that’s what had made their fans confident enough to start mocking the opposing players. Marco had been the target for most of their chants, calling him names and guessing what he and Seb – sitting on the bench – were doing in their bedroom.

It had backfired on them because their chants had spurred the Dortmund players on to turn the match around in a three-goal comeback and then they had gone on to humiliate Liverpool in their own stadium. In many ways, what had happened, had been worse than what Marco had had to go through immediately upon his coming out. There had been a continent-wide uproar with a lot of fines and stricter control in stadiums, but the English hooligans hailed the Liverpool mob for preserving the masculinity in football.

“No.” Marco shook his head. “But it would be different with you. You aren’t a player in the first line. You are a fine expert and that’s what everyone should look at.”

“You are right.” Seb nodded. “They _should_. But would they?”

“And you are willing to throw away this opportunity because of some dickheads?” Marco snapped. He was angry at Seb. He didn’t know him as someone who would back down. Seb was a fighter, a bigger and stronger one than Marco had ever been. “United are your third favorite team! This is an opportunity you won’t get again! It could give you so much! You said you had to stay an assistant coach if you want to have a successful career. Here’s your chance!”

“I don’t know, Marco.” Seb drawled. “It might sound stupid, but I’m as grateful to BVB as you were. They gave me everything I have and I’m not sure if I want to leave. For the same reasons you could never leave.”

“No, that’s not the same!” Marco shook his head so vehemently that his neck started to hurt. “You are only afraid that you could fail at Manchester and I must tell you that it’s completely unnecessary. Understandable, but you really don’t have anything to worry about. You are one of the best coaches I have ever known and you have by far the deepest understanding of football. There’s a reason why Kloppo wants you. Would you seriously throw away his offer?”

Seb fell into a silence for minutes. Marco felt bad for being so harsh on his boyfriend but he couldn’t let Seb ignore Klopp’s offer. He didn’t want to talk him into something he didn’t want to do, either, but he wanted to make sure that Seb would weigh his opportunities. The raven-haired stared blankly in front of himself and he most likely felt as miserable as he looked like, torn between two possibilities. Marco could relate to his situation somehow; he had had to make his own career choices, too. After his coming out, it had been much easier. The support he had gotten from Dortmund had been more than he could ever repay and he had been sure that this was the place he had had to stay.

“What about you?” Seb finally croaked out in a hoarse voice. “Would you come with me to Manchester if I chose to accept Kloppo’s offer? I couldn’t do this without you.” He said. Seb had become more open about his feelings during the long years they had lived together, but such a declaration of love was still rare coming from him and it touched Marco.

“Darling!” Marco sighed and pulled Seb closer. “Of course I would go with you. I would go to the end of the world with you! For years, you respected what I wanted and what was the best for me, now let me do the same for you. Don’t even consider me for a second when making your decision and if you ever need me, I’m here for you.”

“Thank you.” Seb mouthed. It was apparent that he was as much touched as Marco had been just a moment earlier. They shared a very special moment, looking in each other’s eyes. But it didn’t last as long as Marco would have liked to, because Seb’s phone started to ring.

“Hello?” Seb picked it up. “Is everything alright?” He asked and Marco’s stomach clenched. He felt that it was Nico who was calling Seb. _Seb_ , and not him, his own uncle! “I see, I’ll be there in a minute!”

“What’s going on?” Marco didn’t even wait for Seb to put his phone in his pocket.

“Nothing. Nico wants to come home and I’m going to pick him up.” Seb said, playing down the whole thing.

“I’m coming with you.” Marco said firmly and he stood up.

“No, you are not.” Seb shook his head. Marco was taken aback by this raw order. He was used to Seb doing a lot of things on his own, but to be left out of his nephew’s life was something he couldn’t accept. They exchanged cutting glances and Seb’s features finally softened. “Look, Marco.” He started more tenderly now. “Nico sounded pretty broken-down and I don’t think he needs you to tell him that you’ve said so. You can talk to him as much as you want to when he’s back, but please, let me handle this right now. Trust me.”

“Okay.” Marco nodded as he finally gave in. He slumped down on the couch, buried in his thoughts. Seb was so right. Even if something bad had happened, Nico didn’t need to be told off right now and Marco was left wondering why Seb was so much against an adoption when he would make a perfect father.

“Thank you, love.” Seb leaned over him and put a chaste kiss on his forehead. “We’ll be back soon.” He said, already on his way out.

Marco sighed when the front door was closed shut. Everything had been much easier when he still had been an active footballer. He had had a clear position and role both on the pitch and in his private life. Ever since his retirement, he had tried to find his place in a world changing around him. Seb had been the only stable point in his life and now he was going to be different, too.

But Marco didn’t want to stand in the way of his boyfriend’s dreams. He had seen how much Seb wanted that job in Manchester, he only was afraid of being refused by the players and fans. Marco could understand him the most, but thinking back, his own coming out hadn’t been as bad as it could have been. And that’s why Marco couldn’t let Seb back down. The younger one only needed reassurance and Marco knew how to get it.

He reached for his phone and dialed a number he hadn’t called in a long time.

“Hello, Erik!” He said when the phone on the other end of the line was picked up.

 

* * *

 

The front yard was much messier than what Seb remembered from only an hour ago. He could hear loud music from the house but it was only loud enough to be heard, not to disturb anyone. There were empty beer bottles everywhere but Seb only saw the dark figure sitting on the curb a few houses away. He slowed down and stopped next to the boy.

“Anyone needing a lift?” He opened the door next to the passenger door and Nico crawled in. “Is everything alright, Nico?” Seb asked worried.

“Yes.” Nico nodded, fighting with his tears.

Seb knew better than to push Nico and force him into a conversation he didn’t want to have. He started the car again and drove off. He wanted to give Nico some time to compose himself because he was sure that the teenager didn’t want to meet Marco like this. He drove around the city aimlessly, waiting for any sign from Nico that told him that he could drive them home now.

“Can we talk?” Nico finally asked after half an hour of sightseeing tour in Dortmund’s center.

“Sure.” Seb nodded and pulled down into an empty parking lot. “What happened on that party, Nico?”

“Nothing bad.” Nico said slowly. “I mean, nothing horrible or anything that should have hurt me. I just realized some things and I don’t like them at all. I just thought that these were my friends and they barely care about me. They probably wouldn’t even have noticed if I hadn’t gone to that stupid party! I should have listened to Marco and stay in my room!” He punched the dashboard angrily. “They don’t see further than him being my uncle.”

“Yeah, I know how it feels.” Seb shrugged.

“Oh, really?” Nico snorted. “Was your uncle a once world-class footballer, too?”

“No, but my boyfriend was.” Seb said calmly and it silenced Nico’s sarcasm.

“I’m sorry.” He said weakly.

“It’s okay, go on!” Seb nudged him.

“So I wanted to go there to hang out with this Leni.” Nico explained. “She’s a nice girl and very kind. I have had a crush on her for a long time now. We talked and all and it was fine, but I just saw that she wasn’t interested in me. So I gave up and went to talk to the boys but I felt like an outsider there, too. You know, the kind of a strange feeling when you are in a room full of people but you feel alone. I’m sorry I called you and troubled you but I didn’t want to stay there any longer.”

“It’s not a trouble for me, Nico.” Seb reassured him.

He had always hated situations like this. He knew that Nico expected some wisdom from him, some comforting words, like everything would be fine and that the world wasn’t as bad as it seemed, but Seb had never been up for such lies. Because yes, the world sometimes sucked and you had to learn to endure it somehow and go on for who you are.

“I’m hardly the man to give you the best advice on how to win a girl’s heart” He started and Nico smiled weakly. “, but I know this. If you have to change for anyone, that has nothing to do with love or friendship. So if those boys and girls don’t care about you, about Nico and not someone’s someone, you should dump them. You should be you and let others who will be interested in you find you. They will, don’t worry. There’s no point in pretending that you are someone you don’t want to be. No girl or guy is worth that.” He talked to Nico as much as he talked to himself.

“Thanks, Seb. That helped a lot.” Nico sighed. “Is Marco very mad at me?”

“No, he isn’t.” Seb shook his head. “He has no right to be mad at you. And I’ll take care of him, okay?”

 

* * *

 

Erik was about to go to bed when his phone started to ring. He quickly picked it up, accompanied by Alex’ grousing. He had just come back from a Champions League game and Alex had been looking forward to spending some time with him after days of being apart. But Erik couldn’t ignore this call, he knew that much after he saw who the caller was. He sneaked out of their bedroom and lifted the device to his ear.

“What’s up, Marco?” He asked, a smile spreading on his face.

It had been some time since they had last talked with the blonde. Marco was by far his best friend among the footballers he had played with. Without him, Erik wouldn’t have had such a great career. When he had wanted to leave Dortmund, looking for a new challenge, it had been Marco who had supported him the most. Erik could understand why the winger hadn’t wanted to leave his hometown, but Erik had never had the same special connection to the club or the city as Marco.His home was Alex and Alex had once promised to him to live where Erik lived, so 'leaving his home' had never been a decision he had had to make.

He had taken a big risk by moving abroad, but it was a risk that had paid off. The start in Manchester had been rocky, but his patience and determination had helped him through the initial phase. And of course, when he ever doubted himself, there was Mario. He had never thought that they would ever play together, least for Manchester United but he was glad that their lives brought them together because in Mario he had found an ally. They even wanted to retire together at the end of the season, but when the news that Kloppo would take over the Red Devils next season had been made public, they had decided to stay one more year.

“We’re doing fine, Erik.” Marco said. “What about you?”

“Oh, you know. Same old, same old.” Erik smiled to himself. He hadn’t realized that he had missed talking to the blonde so much.

“Listen, I’m sorry to call you this late” Marco started. “, but I really need to talk to you.”

“It’s okay, Marco. What’s going on? How can I help you?” Erik asked a bit scared.

“I’m not sure how serious or official this is, so probably I shouldn’t tell this to you, but I trust you and I know that you are the only one who can dispel my worries.” Marco took a pause. “You know that Kloppo will be United’s head coach. As things stand, he wants Seb to be his assistant coach.”

Erik didn’t know how to react to this news. On one hand, he was already looking forward to working with Seb. They hadn’t quite got on well initially, especially when Erik had started to explore his own sexuality and his feelings towards Marco, but he could not forget how much Seb helped him to accept that he was gay. And once he had learned to see the nice things in Seb, he knew why Marco loved him so much.They had become close friends and stayed close friends even after Erik had left for England, and Erik actually talked more with Seb on the phone than with Marco, regretting that their free time to visit each other was pretty limited.

But on the other hand, he could also understand the hesitant tone in Marco’s voice. England wasn’t the most wonderful place for any gay person in the football world. Most fans didn’t care about gay players anymore, but there still were a lot of voices stating that clubs shouldn’t employ gay coaches because they were a bad influence to kids and players. Erik thought that it was the biggest bullshit he had ever heard, but he always knew that those voices were hard to silence. But then, if there was anyone on the planet who could do that, it was Seb Kruse.

“Do you want to know how hard it would be for him?” Erik uttered the question that was on Marco’s mind. “I’ll be honest with you Marco. It won’t be easy. Especially the first few weeks. I don’t think there will be any problems within the team. There might be a few players who would disagree with him being here, but they will be wise enough to shut up about it. The fans will be a tougher matter. It wasn’t easy for me, either. The opposing fans are still hostile sometimes, especially during a derby. But once you proved yourself, your own fans will stand behind you proudly, and the support they give you outweighs everything. Knowing Seb, you shouldn’t worry about any incidents. He can cope with them.”

“Thank you, Erik.” Marco sighed relieved. “This was exactly what I needed.”

“What are the odds that he will accept the offer?” Erik asked excited about the prospect of seeing one of his best friends on a regular basis again without having to climb into a plane for doing so.

“He didn’t say anything, but I’d say pretty big.” Marco said and Erik could hear him beaming. He was happy for his boyfriend and he had every right to do so.

“Convince him. And tell him that we are already waiting for you.”


	3. Doubts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I can only thank you for your incredible feedback. Please keep it up if you like this story, I would like to read your opinion. :-)
> 
> A special thank you for Blue_Night for the amazing beta work.

They hadn’t talked at all after Seb had driven him home. Nico had lain in his bed, his mind too busy to let him fall asleep. He had heard Marco and Seb talk only two rooms away. He had been glad that he had only heard them talk. He had nothing against their relationship, in fact he thought that they were happier than any ‘normal’ couple. But, there had to be a border where he had to stop being involved in his relatives’ relationships. He still remembered the first time he had heard his parents doing – _that_ and it had been a huge shock for him. He was a healthy teenage boy and like every teenage boy, he was interested in sexuality, but at the same time, there was no teenage boy who wanted to think about his parents having sex.

He tossed and turned in his bed for almost an hour before he could finally let sleep take over him. He had mused a lot about what Seb had told him. He was sure that Seb didn’t even know what a sore spot he had touched. Nico had tried to live up to others’ expectations his entire life and in the meantime, he had forgotten about his own ideas. The last thing he had actually wanted to do was playing football but he had failed utterly. He hadn’t inherited the genes which made Marco such a wonderful player. After that, his mother had had the biggest say in his life and he hadn’t objected for a long time, until puberty had arrived.

It had ruined his relationship with his mother and his father mostly was the silent observer of their rows. Marco’s house became his last refuge – if Seb was there, too. Nico considered him the only same member of their family – apart from himself, of course. Marco usually took Nico’s mother’s side, but he was more reasonable and at least listened to what Nico had to say. And Nico hoped that Marco would listen to him the next morning, too.

The start wasn’t very promising. When Nico climbed out of bed, Marco was already cooking lunch and he wasn’t very friendly to his nephew. Nico’s throat clenched because he knew that Marco grounding him wouldn’t be a far-fetched option. Nico tried to act cool as he prepared some breakfast for himself. The truth was that his heart was racing and he couldn’t wait for the moment Marco would start speaking. Earlier, he had been afraid of what the blond would say, but now, he was pretty sure that everything would be better than this silence.

“Are you mad at me?” He finally asked when he couldn’t bear the tension any more.

Marco looked as if he was woken up from deep thinking, and he looked at Nico clueless for a few seconds until he understood the meaning of his words. To the boy’s surprise, Marco’s features softened and he sat down opposite to him. “Why would I be mad at you?” He showed his nicest face.

“I don’t know.” Nico suspected a trap. Maybe Marco wanted him to admit his breach of rules. “The house party maybe?” He suggested and the blond only snickered. Something was going on here and Nico didn’t like it.

“I’m not mad at you for that. I’m only disappointed.” Marco’s face turned serious in a second. “It just feels like you don’t trust me enough to talk to me directly. If you had told me about how important it was for you, I would have let you go.”

“I tried to tell you!” Nico snapped. Maybe it wasn’t the right attitude for this conversation but the truth was the truth. “You refused to listen to me! And no, I didn’t trust you. Because I knew that if I called you, you would have yelled at me, just like Mom does!” Nico accused Marco, too preoccupied to notice that he was practically yelling at his uncle. He sprung up and grabbed his plate, darting out of the kitchen.

“Come back here!” Marco shouted after him. “We’re not done with this conversation! And don’t you dare eat in your room!” It was all pointless. Nico left without turning back, slamming the door to his room.

 

* * *

 

Marco stood in the kitchen, unable to move. He didn’t understand what had just happened and it hurt him more than it should have. It wasn’t Nico’s words that troubled him the most; it was what they meant. They were like venom to him, because he couldn’t stop thinking that maybe Seb was right: they weren’t ready to raise a child and maybe they never would be. Or at least, Marco wasn’t ready for a kid. Seb always seemed to be at ease with Nico and he knew when to say no to him, because yes, there were times when even Seb said no. And this incident only made Marco wonder about their parental abilities.

Nico had come to him looking for reassurance and some comforting words and he had angered the boy within a minute, he didn’t even know, how. The worst thing was that Marco knew that Nico was right: he hadn’t listened to him. Truth was, that he didn’t understand his nephew. Marco had felt as if he had lost touch with not only those around him but also with the world and with himself. He had felt so ever since his retirement. He sometimes thought that he wasn’t really important for anyone anymore – apart from Seb, his close family and a few of his friends. Being a famous footballer had been all he had had and now it was gone. And Marco Reus wasn’t interesting.

He started off towards Nico’s room, but he changed his mind immediately. Nico was sulking and Marco wouldn’t give him the satisfaction to let him know that Marco was feeling bad about what had happened. That’s exactly what the teenager wanted and Marco wouldn’t let himself be played with. If Nico wanted something from him, he would have to come out of his room and ask him. Yvonne had warned him that the boy might try his luck with something similar and Marco was smarter than to give in that easily.

After all, he had nothing to feel bad about. It was Nico who had started shouting at him. And once the little mister would be ready to apologize for his behavior, Marco would listen to him. The only problem was, that Nico didn’t seem to be willing to apologize. He didn’t even come out of his room, only twice. The first time, he drank a glass of water and the second time he grabbed a bottle of water and returned with it to his kingdom.

At noon, Marco had enough of it and he went to announce that lunch was ready, but Nico didn’t seem to care. The blonde finally gave up and ate alone, damning his nephew for being that stubborn. Nico reminded him of Seb, a lot. Maybe that was why his boyfriend got on well with him. Only, Seb had always been reasonable enough to come to see his mistakes and Nico still missed that level of maturity.

The silence in his house during the day was killing Marco. He was used to solitude but feeling alone while not being alone was something new to him. He counted down the minutes until Seb would come home and someone would finally talk to him. When his love did come home though, he didn’t have for him the words Marco wanted to hear.

Seb greeted him with a brief and quick kiss. It had been their ritual ever since Seb had become the sole active earner in their household. Marco never left their house when Seb was supposed to arrive, even though the raven-haired had told him many times to do it and live his own life. But Marco didn’t have his own life anymore and he had problems accepting it. Now he understood how Seb must have felt like in the first months after Marco’s coming out when he was only Marco’s boyfriend. Since then, Seb had established himself as the talented coach he was and Marco had been degraded into being Seb’s boyfriend. Not that he didn’t like this position, he was more than happy by the other one’s side, but he wanted more out of his life. He wasn’t that old, no matter what Nico said.

“Where’s Nico?” Seb asked immediately after their kiss. He had always had this skill to find the sorest spot in Marco’s life and the blond shouldn’t have been surprised by it, but his throat still clenched. He still wasn’t sure about what he had been supposed to say to his nephew and Seb was the only man who could make him feel bad about their conversation again.

“In his room.”Marco shrugged. Maybe if he played down what had happened, Seb wouldn’t notice anything. He really should have known better because his boyfriend’s dark eyes scanned his face very thoroughly and when they caught Marco’s anxious gaze, the blond knew that he was exposed and Seb would get out of him whatever he wanted.

“Did you two have a fight?” He asked still calm. He wasn’t mad at Marco or anyone, quite the contrary, he seemed more concerned about what had happened and how serious it was. He wanted peace in his house.

“Kind of.” Marco said sourly. “He asked me if I was mad at him because of his sneaking out in the night. I reassured him that it was okay and that I was only disappointed that he hadn’t turned to me. And then we started to shout.”

“You shouted?” Seb raised his eyebrow and the first, still faint wrinkles became visible on his skin. “In what universe doesn’t this qualify as having a fight?” He snorted and he got up from the couch. He walked out of the living room and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Marco could see him standing there with his usual confidence as he called Nico down.

“I’m not going!” The boy yelled back. Marco closed his eyes. So not even his boyfriend had the power to deal with a teenager.

“Look, Nico, we can do it two ways!” Seb continued, not deterred at all. “I can keep wanting to speak to you and interrupt whatever you are doing every five minutes, or you can come down now and be done with talking to us. It’s your choice!”

Marco looked with dropped jaw at his amazing love. Seb turned back to him with a smug smile on his face and he started off towards him. A second later, Marco could hear Nico’s room’s door being opened and shut, and then came the sounds of approaching footsteps.

“Hi Seb!” Nico greeted him casually, ignoring Marco completely. He walked to an armchair and sat down in it, his eyes never leaving Seb’s. His actions were clear: he was willing to talk to Seb and only to him.

Marco’s throat clenched and he had to try hard not to start crying. The same despair took over him that almost every day for the past year. His former teammates who had retired before him had warned him about it. It wasn’t easy to get used to not being in the spotlight and losing all the attention they had gotten during their active years. Marco had only laughed at them back then, he hadn’t thought that it would be this hard indeed. He had trouble occupying himself and that’s why he had mused about the possibility of adoption. Having a child to look after would clearly tie him up. But, his bad experience with dealing with Nico made him reconsider his wish.

“Will anyone catch me up?” Seb started. He looked at Marco, showing trust in him. He probably wouldn’t have gotten a realistic retelling from Nico, because the boy snorted and looked at his nails now as if he had found them fascinating all of a sudden.

“I’m sorry.” Marco said, turning to Nico, much to his surprise. He had thrown out his plans of being a strict grown-up and wait for his nephew to realize his own mistakes. After all, what could he expect from a teenage boy? “You were right, Nico, I didn’t listen to you. But I want you to know that I am here for you. I know that you think that I tell everything to Yvonne, but that’s not true. I want to get on well with you, just like we did when you were younger. I miss those days.” Marco drawled in a sad voice.

Nico heard him out with an impassive face, but it was obvious that Marco’s words had touched him. His features finally softened and he looked at his uncle, smiling. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I saw red and I promise it won’t happen again. You aren’t like Mom at all, Uncle. You’re a cool guy, you just need to chill out more often.”

“Thank you, I guess.” Marco said to the unexpected compliment. He wanted to hug his nephew right now, but Nico had told him two years earlier that he was too old for being hugged by his family. In the end, they only sat there, looking at each other, all grudges already forgotten.

“Now that everyone has made peace, maybe we can sit down to have dinner?” Seb suggested with a carefree expression.

Nico sprung up immediately and rushed out of the room. “I’ll just say goodbye on chat.”

Marco watched him, smiling under his breath and then he turned to his amazing boyfriend, waiting for him in the doorway. “How did you do this? I wouldn’t have thought that it could go that easily.”

“I’m a football coach, Marco, have you forgotten that?” Seb smiled and reached for him. Marco stood up and they walked to the kitchen hand in hand. “I know how to deal with people. Nico felt as bad about what had happened as you did. He loves you and he wanted to make up with you. But you can’t expect him to make the first step.”

“Can I ask you something?” Marco said suddenly, determined to ease his mind from the thought he had had ever since his row with Nico. “Do you think that I would be an awful parent? Is that why you don’t agree to us adopting a kid, you just don’t want to tell me that directly?”

“Marco!” Seb sighed tenderly and he stopped, turning the blond to face him. He grabbed his arms and looked deep into his eyes. “You would be an amazing father, don’t you ever doubt that!”

“Then why don’t you want to have a kid?” Marco stammered, tears welling up in his eyes.

“It’s because of me.” Seb said and he walked away from Marco. The blond knew him well enough to know that it was because Seb was about to shed a few tears, too. No matter how hard he tried, he could never get his boyfriend to show his weakness to him. He constantly needed to be the strong man and Marco respected that. “I’m a lot like my father, Marco, and he sucked at parenting.”

“And you think that you would, too?” Marco gaped, but he was relieved at the same time. He had feared that Seb had some serious objection against adoption in general, but now he realized that his boyfriend was dealing with the same doubts he was dealing with. “Seb, that’s stupid. You would be the most amazing father the world has ever seen.” He walked to his love and embraced him from behind, resting his head on Seb’s back. “We don’t have to do it if you are not ready, Seb, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“Um, am I intruding on something here?” Nico’s hesitant voice startled them out of their intimate moment and they turned to the boy simultaneously.

“Not at all.” Marco hastened to say, withdrawing his hands but not before he squeezed Seb’s for a split second. “I’ll prepare the dinner, could you set the table in the meantime?” He suggested and the other two nodded. Marco couldn’t help but feel amused by how domestic they must have looked like. He could get used to this life and with Seb admitting his doubts, Marco felt like a big obstacle had been moved out of their way towards a happy family life.

“How was your day like?” Marco asked when he put down a bowl of delicious salad next to a plate full of juicy meat.

“Exhausting.” Seb shrugged. “Tuchel wants to make sure that we are extra prepared for the derby at the weekend. And I told Aki about Jürgen’s offer. He wasn’t delighted, but he understood.”

“Wait, does this mean that you are considering both options?” Marco looked at him with widened eyes. After their talk in the evening, he had had the impression that he wanted the job in Manchester for Seb more than Seb himself.

“Of course.” Seb said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I would be mad not to.”

“What offer?” Nico asked curiously.

“I might become Manchester United’s assistant manager.” Seb explained and didn’t give Nico any time to react before he continued, talking to Marco again. “And I called Jürgen. He’s in Dortmund at the weekend and I want to talk to him in person. I invited him for dinner after the match, I hope it’s okay.”

“Of course it is.” Marco smiled.

“Wait a second!” Nico finally recovered after his jaw had nearly hit the tabletop from his surprise. “Jürgen as in Jürgen Klopp? And what do you mean Manchester United?!”

“Yes, Jürgen Klopp and Manchester United as the Red Devils. Does it ring any bells?” Seb continued in his calm and slightly mocking tone.

“Of course, it’s just– wow!” Nico exclaimed. “It’s hard to believe. Wait, does this mean that you will move to England?”

“Nothing is decided yet, Nico.” Marco calmed him down, but he shot a glance at his boyfriend, looking for reassurance. Seb smiled at him weakly and nodded.

“Too bad.” Nico sighed, disappointed. “But if you do move to England, maybe I could join you for the summer? It would be awesome and would help me a lot. I’m sure Mom wouldn’t mind!”


	4. An Illustrious Guest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a shorter break, I'm back with this story. I hope you will like the new chapter where Seb's decision will be announced (if it's a question at all). I want to thank you once again for the warm welcome of this story. Thanks for the many kudos and your comments. Please, keep them coming if you like this update. :-)
> 
> As always, I want to thank Blue Night for the amazing work she does as my beta reader. Your hints and corrections help me to make this story better.

Marco had never had enough of Signal Iduna Park’s vibe. He was almost addicted to the feeling, the buzz of the crowd and the anticipation rising in the air. He always wanted to experience it first-hand, even after his retirement and the first thing he did was buying a season ticket. He was regarded a club legend, but he didn’t want to be seen as one. He was an ordinary person and he loved watching the matches with his friends, among other football fans, Dortmunders like him. It was way better than sitting in a secluded VIP sector, being only witness to the craze that was going on in the stands.

Today though, he didn’t get the chance to choose. Jürgen Klopp was back in Dortmund and he had asked his former player to watch the game with him. It hadn’t been possible to get tickets for the packed stadium and in the end, Kloppo had arrenged a pair of VIP tickets. Despite that, they still had to give out some autographs and had to pose for a few pictures. Some things never changed and it seemed that their legend wouldn’t leave the club.

Not that they hadn’t achieved anything. The toughest season in Marco’s career had forged them into an incredible coach-player duo and they led the team to Bundesliga titles, Cup victories and even one Champions League glory. A picture of them – the coach and the captain – presenting the cup to their fans in the middle of their home stadium still hung on Marco’s living room wall, a last memory of his career.

“I see that the spirit of the Revierderbies hasn’t changed.” Klopp brought him out of his musings. Marco jerked his head up and watched the two fanbases shouting at each other, cheering their own team or mocking the opponents even though there was still a quarter of an hour until kick-off.

“I’m sure United has some intense rivalries, too.” Marco said sourly.

Seb hadn’t talked much about the offers he had gotten. He was thinking about them only silently and he seldom asked Marco about his opinion. The blond was okay with it first, but by now, he couldn’t say what his boyfriend was thinking about the opportunity and it left him open to his own doubts. He wasn’t sure anymore if a move to England would really be such a great idea for Seb. If it hadn’t been for the hooligans still shouting for ‘masculinity’ in football, he wouldn’t have hesitated. But hate had almost ruined his career and he didn’t want his love to go through the same.

“Be honest with me, Marco. How do you feel about my offer to Sebastian?” His former coach read his mind and turned to him suddenly, his eyes searching for the truth in Marco’s face.

“I don’t know.” The blonde sighed. “I am happy for him, because he really deserves it, but I’m not sure if it will work out. I know that he will only be an assistant coach and mostly will be able to evade attention, but still. Jerks live everywhere and I don’t think that they will ever disappear…”

“Have you talked to Erik?” Klopp asked.

“Yes.” Marco nodded. “He reassured me that it would be fine. And in my heart, I know that it will. It’s my brain that keeps bugging me. I’m not even afraid of the treatment Seb would get. He’s strong, I know he could deal with it. I’m afraid that it will change him. He got accepted here for the man he is. Before that, he had had to shut up and endure mobbing. I don’t want it to happen again, because it had turned him into an annoying man and he hadn’t been far from being a complete dick.” Marco wasn’t sure why he had opened up to the older man so much. It was so great to finally talk with someone who would listen to him.

“But, you still fell in love with him.” Klopp noted amused.

“Yes, I did.” Marco smiled. “And I still love him and I will support him and stand by him, no matter what.”

“He will need it.” Klopp said and turned towards the pitch and joined the chanting of the home fans. Marco snickered and turned his attention towards the proceedings, too.

The substitutes and the coaches started to walk out of the tunnel and sat down on the bench. Marco stretched his neck to get a glimpse of his boyfriend. Seb stepped out with Benedikt Höwedes. The former Schalke captain was now a coach at Dortmund’s arch-rivals and actually, he had learned a lot from Seb. It was strange how the younger one had more contact with some of Marco’s former teammates from BVB or the national team than Marco himself. Benni had even used to visit them and they analyzed football matches with Seb until he attained his coaching license.

How much Marco had hated those meetings of these two! It had happened not long after his retirement when he had been musing about a possible coaching career. They had shattered his dreams right away. He hadn’t understood half of what Benni and Seb had been telling each other. Marco had an understanding of the game, too, but it was instinctive and he hadn’t known the technical terms or the theory behind football tactics. And he hadn’t had the will to study.

He had brought up the possibility of him becoming a coach to Seb only once and his boyfriend had put an end to his dreams right away. “Do you think I could be a football coach?” He had asked him and the younger one had burst out laughing until he had realized that Marco hadn’t been joking at all. “If you are looking for a part-time job, why not?” He had smirked. Marco hadn’t understood him at all and had asked him to elaborate. “You’ve gotten half of your yellow cards for protesting. You on the sidelines as a coach would mean half a match on the sidelines then the other half of it on the stands and the next game spent on the stands again because you would be banned. Right until the moment when they would ban you from any football-related activities for life.” He was being harsh, but eventually, he had a point – so typical of him and Marco had learned to listen to him in such cases.

But Seb hadn’t seemed to mind teaching Benni. Marco had been even jealous of him for a brief interval. In the end, he had found a way to accept it. Coaching wasn’t for him, so he only listened to the two of them amazed, hoping to learn a few things. Benni’s and Seb’s friendship despite their club’s rivalry was a great evidence of his boyfriend’s true professionalism, and Marco appreciated it. And it brought him to a question he wanted to ask Klopp.

“Why do you want Seb as your assistant?” He kept his voice down. Journalists could be anywhere and transfer rumors had been started based on less. His question was answered with a long silence at first, but after that, Klopp finally spoke up.

“He’s fun to work with.” He shrugged without averting his gaze from the pitch.

Soon, the match started and Klopp lost himself in the action on the field. Marco tried to focus on the match, too, but his mind was racing. Seeing his former coach like this was a whole new experience to him. He had seen him watching a football game many times, but only as a trainer. Now the older man was almost like an ordinary fan and Marco understood why he chose Seb. They were very alike when it came to their philosophy and view on football. They admired and worshipped this game, but they never forgot what it was – a game, something to enjoy. To them, it wasn’t just a profession or a burden, a challenge. It was fun, meant to bring joy to thousands if not millions of people.

 

* * *

 

In the end, this particular match brought joy to the home fans, after Dortmund won 3–1. Marco and Klopp waited in the parking lot for Seb. They didn’t have to wait for too long. Marco’s boyfriend walked to them leisurely, apparently satisfied with the result and the implementation of his part of the tactics.

“Congratulations on the victory.” Kloppo smiled at him. The two of them hadn’t met during the week, but they had talked almost every day. Seb certainly took this decision seriously.

“Thanks, but I barely had to do anything with it.” He shrugged.

He stepped to Marco and gave him a kiss. It came so natural to them, long gone were the days when they had been careful in front of whom they had kissed. Marco’s coming out hadn’t changed everything, but it had started some changes. Not every gay player had come out. Their numbers were few, but the ones who had made that step could live their life openly. Their kiss after the cup final at the end of that notorious season for Marco had caused an uproar, but scenes like that were usual by now in Germany. A few boyfriends even took on a role like some WAGs, but honestly, Marco was grateful that Seb had never taken that path.

“Don’t play down your influence.” Klopp scolded Seb jokingly. “The way your players switched off the key players from Schalke was a typical Kruse-move.”

“Maybe I should be more careful. If I already have a coaching style, I might get predictable.” Seb noted dryly.

They were mostly silent on their drive home. It was strange, because it had been years since Marco had talked with Klopp and he considered themselves friends, but suddenly, he didn’t have anything to tell his former coach. The purpose of the trainer’s visit hung in the air and it silenced him. Seb was obviously preoccupied with his own thoughts and Klopp didn’t want to initiate anything.

“Um, my nephew is staying with us. I hope it’s okay.” Marco drawled when they walked to the entrance to their house. He was now a completely grown-up man, but he had never managed to get rid of his respect towards any football coach.

“Your house, your rules.” Klopp lifted his hands as they stepped over the threshold.

“Amazing match, Seb!” Nico came to welcome them and his smile was left frozen on his face when he spotted Klopp. He had known that the trainer would come so Marco couldn’t understand his bewilderment. Not like this was the first time the two of them met, but Nico most probably didn’t remember their earlier encounters. “Hello, Mr. Klopp!”

“Hi, Nico, right?” Kloppo smiled and shook the teenager’s hand. “You were this little when I last saw you.” He pointed at his waist, as if he was a long not seen relative.

“Give me ten minutes, I’ll heat the dinner. Just sit down in the dining room in the meantime.” Marco offered and pulled Nico with him into the kitchen.

The next ten minutes were like torture to him. He hadn’t thought that one could mess up heating food, but he would have done that if it hadn’t been for Nico. Marco kept thinking about the two men sitting next door and what they were probably talking about. He had been happy for Seb and he still was, honestly. But, he wished that his boyfriend had talked with him. Seb’s move would bring a change to their lives either way, and Marco had expected the younger one to include him in making the decision. But then, he had never asked Seb about his contract extensions. It had been different though: it had seemed kind of normal for him to stay in Dortmund. He had owed this club so much and staying had seemed like the only possible way to give something back.

“I thought you wanted Seb to go to Manchester.” Nico said after Marco put a fork in the gravy.

“I do.” Marco sighed. “I’m just nervous. He hasn’t asked me about it and I have no idea how he has decided.” He added, pouting.

“Well, you seemed supportive of him the whole week, so I think he didn’t need to ask you.” Nico shrugged. “But don’t think that he hasn’t considered you.” He shot Marco an encouraging smile and a look that told him that his nephew knew more than Marco had thought. He returned the smile weakly, and grabbed the plates with their dinner on it.

He walked slowly to give Seb and Klopp enough time to finish their conversation in case they didn’t want him to hear it. When he entered the dining room though, nothing suggested that the two men had been talking at all. And it didn’t change during dinner, either. They ate in complete silence and after they swallowed the last bites, they just stared at each other.

“Thanks for dinner, it was delicious. I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Nico finally stood up and Marco had a hard time suppressing his laughter. There they were, three grown-up men needing to talk about something serious and it needed a teenager to give them the starting push.

“Yes, it was truly delicious.” Klopp joined the compliments once Nico had left. “And I’m very impressed with how you live. It’s so domestic and–”

“I’ll save us this awkward conversation.” Seb cut him short. His voice didn’t give away anything, but Marco knew him well enough to see that his love was anxious.

“Should I go?” He asked gently, placing his hand on Seb’s.

“No, I want you to be here.” The raven-haired turned to him. His eyes were so full of love and told Marco unambiguously how much Seb really needed him. He would never utter it, but he still found a way to let Marco know how he felt. “If it’s okay.” He turned to Klopp.

“Of course.” The old trainer nodded. “I don’t want an ultimate answer from you, Sebastian. I just would like to know what you think about my offer.”

“Oh, leave it, you already know what I think about your offer.” Seb snapped. There was nothing hostile in his manner, he just didn’t like to keep up pretenses and formalities when everyone in the room knew what was going on. Klopp must have remembered it because he muttered a sorry. “I am considering it and I want that job.” Seb said and Marco squeezed his hand instinctively. It didn’t come as a surprise, but hearing it for the first time, it still sent shivers down his spine. “But I want to make a few things clear before I make a final decision.”

“Naturally.” Klopp nodded. “I’m all ears.”

“What will be my position in the team?” Seb asked. He was the pure professional again, there was no emotion audible in his voice.

“Well, I will still be your superior, but I will consider you as an equal privately. I don’t need a guy who agrees with me all the time, and you are free to come up with your own ideas and we can give it a try, but I will have to agree with everything. I will be in charge and you will have to accept that.” He explained, remembering how hard it was to tame Seb in the first year.

“On the training grounds, I want to speak directly to the players.” Seb continued. “During matches I will talk to you only, but I don’t want to look like only an assistant. If I have an idea, I want to share it with them.”

“Fair enough.” Klopp agreed. Marco was stunned by how they dealt with each other – there was no sign of any personal acquaintance. They were having negotiations, there was no place for them.

“Also, I’m there to work. I want to be left out from business as much as possible. I won’t pose for ads. My job will be to help the team to get good results, not the club to get a nice income.” Seb made himself clear.

“It’s not entirely my competence.” Klopp hesitated. “But I won’t force you to do something you don’t want to. But if the board orders something, I’m afraid that you will have to comply.” He shrugged. “United isn’t Dortmund. Money is more important to them. But I’m sure that we can agree on a solution.” He added, seeing Seb’s fiery eyes. “I don’t think that the latest coaches have been asked to participate in ads against their will.” He smiled.

“In the media, I want to stay in the background.” Seb wasn’t finished. “No press conferences, no interviews and I don’t want you to answer questions about me, especially not my personal life.”

“I don’t think that–”

“Oh, believe me, they will ask about me. It will be a too big sensation to miss.” Seb snorted.

“Okay.” Klopp understood his worries.

Marco was touched by Seb’s foresight. Nico had been right – his boyfriend had thought about him. He knew that Seb would have no problems with dealing with nosy reporters. He wanted to protect Marco, first of all.

“Anything else?” Klopp raised an eyebrow.

“I will respect my running contract with Dortmund and I want to stay here for the rest of the season. If you want me to do something to get ready for the job, I will be happy to do it, but only besides my current job.” Seb said.

“Of course.” Klopp nodded. “I didn’t expect you to leave behind everything right away.”

“In that case,” Seb took a deep breath “I don’t want it to be made public before the end of the season.” Marco’s heart must have fell down when his boyfriend uttered these last words. Strangely enough though, he wasn’t shocked. He was relieved.

“As you wish.” Klopp said. “Does this mean that you…?”

“I should dust off my old English books.” Seb finished the thought for him.


	5. The Last Evening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your ongoing support, please let me know what you think of the new chapter if it's any good. :-) As always, thank you Blue Night for the beta! :-)

Seb looked incredulously at the countless boxes. Half of their life was packed in their hall, ready to be shipped to their new home. The last few months since his decision had passed by in a crazy haze, and Seb could hardly notice the passing of time. Marco had considered it his responsibility to arrange all the details of their moving to England. He had gotten almost addicted to bossing around, and he had sometimes behaved like a mad dictator. Seb could understand him, though. He finally had something to do and he snatched at his chance.

He was annoying sometimes, but Seb let him be, because he finally saw fire in Marco’s eyes, a sign of life after years of boredom and powerlessness. At one point during his contract negotiations, Marco had even become his self-appointed agent. Seb couldn’t have cared less about such pettiness as his wage for example. When he had got the first offer from United, he had thought that his eyes had been wrong. The amount seemed incredible and if he had been asked to adjust it to his own wish, he only would have scratched one zero from the end of his offered wage. That was, until Marco had questioned his sanity. In the end, they had come to a compromise and Seb would earn a lot of money. He wasn’t sure that he could ever be able to spend it. He hadn’t learned anything from Marco when it came to shopping.

That’s why he hadn’t understood why his boyfriend had insisted on getting him a dozen of tailored suits and why he had had to go through countless measurings and try on half-finished suits every second day. It had been a torture to him, and not even Marco’s passionate kiss and the pride in his eyes when he had seen Seb in the end product had made up for his suffering. Seb had to admit that Marco had been right, because the suits were extremely comfortable indeed and reminded him not the least of the too tight or loose suits he had been forced to wear during his teenage years. Not that he would ever say it out loud. Marco was smug enough over his success, and there was no need to further encourage his satisfaction.

Seb was grateful to Marco that he arranged everything concerning their moving, because Klopp didn’t let him rest at all. Getting ready for a new job while still having to perform at the current one was harder than Seb had thought. Most of his waking hours were spent watching and analyzing football matches what he basically enjoyed, but there was a limit to his patience and durability, too. He couldn’t even rest at home, because he was perfecting his English skills. It was a goal they had started to pursue together but it had become apparent right at the beginning that Seb would leave Marco behind in their studies rather easily and that despite Marco having more time to spend over textbooks. Not that he was too lazy. Quite the contrary, Seb was more than convinced that the blond had his own plans for their life in England and he had no idea what it was.

“Can we go?” His boyfriend stepped to him. He was as beautiful as ever and the years made him look only more stylish. He had lost his youngish features and looked like as a serious grown-up man now.

“Yes.” Seb shot the boxes another look. Tomorrow morning, workers of a moving company would come and pick them up.

“I still can’t believe that this is our last night in Dortmund.” Marco sighed wistfully as they stepped into the dark street. “I mean, this has been my home all my life and it feels so strange to leave it for a longer time.”

“Marco, you don’t have to come to Manchester with me, right away.” Seb said. He watched Marco very carefully, hoping that he could read something from the blonde’s face. “If you want to arrange some things here first, then–”

“No, there’s nothing like that.” Marco shook his head. “You told me that you need me there and I will be by your side all the time. It’s just strange, isn’t it?”

“Yep.” Seb agreed absentmindedly. His thoughts were somewhere else and not even Marco’s car’s beeping brought him out of his musings.

“You’re not listening to me.” Marco pouted, getting in the car.

“I am. You’ll be by my side and it will be strange.” He repeated mockingly.

“That’s not what I said!” Marco snapped, but he couldn’t be mad at Seb with that adorable and irresistible smile forming on his face. “But aren’t you afraid of this move? You can’t possibly know what it will be like in Manchester!”

“Are you kidding me? I’m scared like hell!” Seb laughed. “But, one step at a time. First, I want to get through this dinner or farewell party or whatever you call it!”

“Oh, come on, Seb!” Marco shot him a reproachful look. “It will be my parents and yours, how bad can it be?”

“With your parents, it would be easy. With mine… who knows, where the madness will stop?” Seb joked.

“You’re constantly showing them in a bad light.” Marco put his key in the ignition and started the car.

“And you are constantly underestimating them.” Seb retorted, bored. Marco looked at him and saw a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his lips. The next moment, he found out what idea Seb found so amusing. “Got your license?” He asked Marco with feigned innocence and Marco punched him without taking his eyes off the steering wheel.

“You’ll never stop teasing me, will you?” He sighed.

“Hey, I just admire you for the bad boy you once have been. I was a rock musician and I have never done something this badass!” Seb explained, roaring with laughter. “But that’s the way I love you.” He whispered, leaning over the gear and giving Marco a peck on his cheek.

The blond shook his head in disbelief. Some things never changed and he doubted that his boyfriend would ever really grow up. Plus, he had to question if at least he would be mature enough to be an assistant coach. But then, they would find out soon enough.

 

* * *

 

They had reserved a table at Marco’s favorite dinner place and they arrived well before the time they had fixed with their parents. The restaurant was almost empty, and Seb was grateful for that. Not that he was planning to make a scene, but with his father present, things could easily get out of control. If he had given his father a second chance at all, the older man hadn’t used it. They were on speaking terms but they still tried to avoid each other as much as possible, and if they had to be in the same room, the best solution was for both of them to remain silent.

The Reuses arrived on time and Marco and Seb stood up to greet them at the same time. Seb didn’t consider them his second family anymore. He felt like a whole member of their family and he loved Marco’s parents as if they were his own – well, maybe a bit more than that.

“Wow, Seb, look at you! You are astonishing!” Mrs. Reus complimented him right away when she checked him standing next to Marco in one of those special suits.

“It’s all Marco’s merit.” Seb explained, smiling. If only his own folks could be like Marco’s! He remembered well the difference in the reactions when they told their parents that they would move to Manchester. Marco’s parents were happy for them and they took it natural that Marco would go with Seb to England. No fretting, just simple support.

Seb’s parents were different. True, they hadn’t caught them up on the news in the most ideal way. Despite Klopp’s promise, word had gotten out about Seb’s new role before he would have told his folks about it. His father had been furious and had told him off for not caring about them enough to ask for their opinion. He hadn’t been too far from the truth. His mother had been only disappointed because she had seen Seb’s actions the way they had been really meant. He hadn’t trusted his parents enough to think that they could keep it secret. Plus, he had feared that they would have a somewhat similar reaction, or at least he hadn’t wanted to have to deal with it.

The Reuses started a conversation between themselves and Seb kept checking his watch. He had known that this would happen. Why should they turn up on time and do what he had asked of them just for once? Not even if this was most probably his last evening in Dortmund. He loved this city, but he was also looking forward to the new opportunity given to him and he would make the most out of it. In a way, he felt that he would be free in Manchester. At BVB, he still couldn’t get rid of his old billing. He still was Marco Reus’ boyfriend and nothing could change that. Even the newspapers had written about him in that way. It wasn’t Seb Kruse who would be Jürgen Klopp’s assistant coach – it was Marco Reus’s boyfriend. Seb loved Marco and he was proud to be together with him; and if he had been just a bit more romantic, he probably would have already asked Marco to marry him. But, he wanted to make something on his own and be recognized as himself.

“Don’t worry, we will wait for them.” Mrs. Reus leaned closer to him with a warm smile when she noticed that Seb was constantly looking at his watch. “Traffic can get chaotic at this time of the day.”

“Yes, but you didn’t forget about that when you started off.” Seb groused.

Just when he said that, Mr. and Mrs. Kruse appeared in the door and looked around somewhat scared. Seb stood up so they could see him and his mother waved gratefully at him. She looked happy and someone who honestly was looking forward to the evening. Her husband, on the other hand, was more frustrated.

“Sorry for being late, but we got lost. We rarely come into this part of the city.” He explained and shot Seb a cutting glance. It sounded like an innocent remark, but Seb saw further than that and his mother squeezed his husband’s hand, too. _Into this luxurious and hokum part of the city_ , that’s what Mr. Kruse had really wanted to say. Seb wanted to snap back and tell his father that he could leave if he didn’t like it here, but he swallowed it down. He wouldn’t let his father start a scene, but he wasn’t going to initiate one, either.

Frank Kruse’s main problem wasn’t his son’s homosexuality, and Seb was well aware of that. He wasn’t a gifted man, at all, and he wasn’t talented in anything. When Seb’s talent for music and later for football had become obvious, Seb could have sworn that his father had been jealous of him, as ridiculous as it might be. He had known only one way to life and he had envisioned the same route for his son, but Seb had made it clear very early on that he had wanted to walk his own way. And deep in his heart, his father must have still waited for the moment when all that Seb had ever achieved would turn against him and he could come out of their duel victoriously, saying “I’ve said so” smugly.

“It’s okay, the important thing is that you are here now.” Marco stood up and took matters into his own hands. Maybe he had noticed the tension between Seb and his father. “Can I ask for the menus, then?”

Seb prayed that at least the ordering of their dinners would go smoothly and without any atrocities, and his wish came true. His father didn’t want to dwell on their choice of restaurant. For him, the fact that Seb was earning much more than him was the biggest scandal in the world. He just couldn’t accept his son’s success. Where other parents would only be proud, he searched for the slightest thing he could criticize, because eventually, Seb’s happiness was an affirmation that Seb had been right with most of his decisions in life.

“When exactly are you leaving, Marco darling?” The blond’s mother inquired.

“Tomorrow, early afternoon.”

“You can sleep in our house if you need a place.” She suggested.

“Or at us!” Seb’s mother added quickly. _Sure, Mom, that would be lovely_ , Seb thought to himself.

“No, thanks.” He finally said. “The furniture stays in Dortmund, so there’s no need for that.”

“Marcel will take care of our house while we are in England.” Marco elaborated.

“Oh, that’s nice of him.” Mrs. Reus nodded vehemently. “And what about you, Seb? Are you ready for the big challenge?” She turned to him.

“Yeah, I think so.” He said dryly, his eyes focused on his folks. _I hope you are taking notes on parenting_. “Although there’s still plenty of time until the new season.”

“I know that you will be well-prepared.” Seb’s mother came to her senses finally. “You will do great, I’m sure of that.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Seb shrugged. Her words seemed so empty and meaningless. She had been a more or less supportive parent and she had once even gone to see Seb’s band, but giving compliments wasn’t very often in the Kruse family. Not that Seb had missed them. He only cared about his own conscience. He wanted to do a job that he found satisfying, he wasn’t interested if it pleased others or not. But, if he could choose, he would rather receive no praise than praise that wasn’t meant seriously.

“And how often will you come home?” Seb’s father asked and Seb jerked his head in his direction so quickly that the bones in his neck cracked.

“I’m not sure.” He said warily. What was this new interest of his father in his life? “I guess we’ll come here for a few days now and then. When we get the chance.”

“I see.” Seb didn’t get an explanation. Not then and not later in the evening.

“Of course it’s hard to let go of our sweet children, right?” Mrs. Reus noted. She must have noticed the tension between Seb and his father and tried to dissolve it, unintentionally opening the floodgates.

“Oh, don’t worry, Mrs. Reus! Dad has no problem letting me live on my own. Quite the contrary, he has encouraged me to do that all my life, isn’t that true, father?” Seb smirked.

“Seb!” Marco snapped next to him, with a horrid expression on his face.

“What? I’m only telling the truth!” Seb said defensively. He looked back at the old face of his father. He wasn’t sure what he had expected to see there. Maybe anger or resentment, but he only saw pain and humiliation and he had to gulp. Earlier, he had never felt like he had hurt his father. Such a remark would have started a heated row with them shouting at each other, but the man sitting at the table now looked tired of it.

“It is harder than you would think, Seb.” His mother said gently, her voice almost inaudible. Seb looked at her questioningly: _What’s wrong with Dad?_ He didn’t know why he felt bad about his father’s reaction. He had done everything in the past to make Seb hate him, and yet, Seb cared about him now. But his mother didn’t have any answers for him, either. Her eyes were full with a parent’s forgiveness for their child that they would never run out of.

“Really, aren’t you planning on adoption?” Mrs. Reus asked and if there was a sentence that could kill the already horrible atmosphere, this was it. Seb’s father scoffed at the idea and it didn’t go unnoticed by Marco’s mother. “Do you find it impossible? Because I think that our sons would make terrific parents.”

“Fathers.” Mr. Kruse said dryly. “A great way for the kid to grow up.” He mocked.

“We have given it a thought.” Seb spoke up, just to contradict his father. Marco shot him a bewildered glance. “But, first we want to see how things will go in Manchester and then decide for sure.”

“That’s sensible.” Mrs. Reus nodded.

Luckily, their dinner arrived and put an end to this awkward conversation. They only said something occasionally, and it mostly was on general topic, especially how delicious the food was. After they were finished, Seb’s parents got up quickly, excusing themselves, but they would have to go to work the next morning.

“I’ll see you off.” Seb stood up with them and despite his father’s cutting glance, he accompanied them out. He was determined to find out what was going on, because he was sure that there was something behind his folks’ strange behavior. There was something they weren’t telling him and it bugged him.

“Thanks for the lovely dinner.” His mother smiled once they were outside.

“Come on, Mom, it wasn’t that lovely.” Seb snorted.

“It could have been if you hadn’t wanted to prove what horrible parents we were and how fantastic the Reus family is.” His father snapped back.

“I don’t have to prepare for that specially. You kind of prove that point yourself.” Seb held his gaze.

“That’s enough, boys.” Mrs. Kruse stepped in between them. “I think we should really go now. Once again, good luck in Manchester, and please, call us when you’ll have arrived safely.” They turned around and started off.

“What’s this new trend with you praising me and supporting me?” Seb asked, surprised how raw his voice was. He was on the verge of crying, because ultimately, this was all he had ever asked for. He couldn’t have imagined anything better than his parents sitting on the stands during a football match and then them going to celebrate the victory of Seb’s team. But, his brain stopped his emotions, because this couldn’t be true. Miracles might happen, but not this big and not so suddenly.

“We care about you, Seb!” His father turned back. There was no accusation in his voice, just the same tiredness Seb had sensed earlier. “I have fucked up at parenting and I won’t deny that. But, since then, I have changed, and I want to be a better father to you. I just hope that one day, you will see it.” His voice broke countless time, telling Seb that he was fighting with his emotions, too. Seb was taken aback and by the time he composed himself, his parents had already left.

“Is everything fine?” Marco stepped to him, bringing him out of his musings.

“Yes.” Seb nodded. “Listen, sorry about the earlier. I ruined this dinner.”

“Okay, what’s going on?” Marco gripped his shoulders and looked him deep in the eyes.

“I don’t know.” Seb shrugged. “It’s just… something isn’t right about my folks. And I can’t believe it, but it actually bothers me.”

“Well, maybe you are growing up finally.” Marco let out a strangled laugh. “And what was that about adoption?” The blond looked at him expectantly. “ _Are_ we giving it a thought?”

“I admit, I find it frightening and I’m not sure if I will screw up or not” Seb started “, but we should consider it.”


	6. The First Evening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your ongoing support, I appreciate it. This update took me a bit longer than planned, I'll try to keep a weekly update rate in the future. Please enjoy the chapter and tell me what you think of it. :-)

Erik had to smile to himself, because he had expected to see them exactly the way it happened now. Seb was walking towards him with confident steps once he had noticed the brunet, and Marco was tagging along, somewhat lost. He hadn’t seen his old friends in a long time. Old – the word felt so strange on his tongue. Seb and Marco were both older than the last time he had seen them, and ten years had passed since the season that had changed everything for Marco and for him. He had gotten older, too. He had been playing for three seasons for United now and he couldn’t have been happier with his life. Not that he wasn’t looking forward to retirement. His legs now complained more often than they had used to do.

“Welcome to Manchester, guys!” He greeted the couple with a wide grin. “Did you have a good flight?”

“Thank God! Finally someone whom I understand!” Marco cried out relieved and he embraced Erik smiling.

The brunet opened his arms for the blond and looked over his shoulder at Seb. He was surprised at how much Seb had changed. His features had gotten clearer and there were some lines on his face already, but that wasn’t the surprise. Seb had always been an easygoing young man in Erik’s eyes and the man – mature in all possible ways – didn’t fit this image anymore.

“I thought you spoke English.” Erik frowned when Marco finally pulled back. Seb stepped forward and a firm handshake was all he had for the defender.

“He does, but he forgot to consider one slight detail.” Seb elaborated, smirking very amused.

“Excuse me!” Marco snapped. “The way that lady talked had nothing to do with anything I have ever learned about English!”

“Oh, the accent!” The penny finally dropped for Erik. He had had his fair share of problems with getting used to the way the British talked. “It’s not that hard to decipher once you get to grips with it. Can we go?” He looked at the two suitcases in the newcomers’ hands.

“Yes.” Marco nodded.

They walked to Erik’s car in total silence, a few bystanders shooting them curious glances. Erik was used to it. English fans were a lot different from the Germans. There was nothing like the admiration they had gotten in Dortmund. He had been big news when he had joined United, but the storm had calmed down before it could start. Similarly, the papers in England couldn’t care less about Seb so far. Kloppo was the more important arrival to Old Trafford. Erik knew that the journalists would try to stir things up and make a big sensation of a gay coach, but right now, there was no sign of it and he wanted Seb and Marco to enjoy the silence.

“Seb, am I supposed to call you ‘Coach’ now?” He joked when he drove out of the parking lot.

“Only if you want to get kicked in the ass.” Seb hit back from the back seat. Marco was sitting next to him, staring out the window, taking in the sight of Manchester.

“Come on, we should remember the good old days in Dortmund!” Erik teased him, shooting a glance at him in the rear-view mirror. His eyes met Seb’s equally playful ones.

“Back when I made you run extra laps to improve your endurance? I’ll be glad to do that again if you want me to.” Seb raised his eyebrows.

“Well, it paid off.” Erik shrugged. He was really grateful for Seb. Back in the years when Kloppo had been their head coach, Seb had been made responsible of the defense very often and they had worked together a lot. Erik had learned a lot from the raven-haired man, even though Seb had never been even decent with the ball. “I’ll drive you to our place first, if it’s okay. Alex and I would like to invite you for a dinner.”

Seb snorted, but did not utter his thoughts. Alex and he still didn’t get along completely. It was strange, considering that they had actually been together, even if it had been only for a short time. Marco first looked at his boyfriend reproachfully, then turned towards Erik.

“That’s really nice of you, Erik.” He thanked him. “It will be good to feel welcomed right the first evening.”

“And if you want to, you can stay for the night, too. Our guest room has just a single bed, but um– I think you can manage.” He said sheepishly. He had to get used to that Seb would be his coach and ultimately his boss again and they would have to agree what kind of remarks was Erik allowed to do to Seb’s and Marco’s private life.

“No, thanks. Our house should be set up perfectly.” Seb said hastily. “Marco has seen to it.”

“I must say, you look perfect together.” Erik spoke just to avoid a long silence. He didn’t hate anything more than that.

“Thank you.” Marco smiled and to confirm Erik’s words, he reached out for Seb’s hand. “What about Alex and you? How are you doing?”

“We are fine.” Erik answered. “Lately, he has been working a lot. I’m not sure if you know that he is working for an affairs magazine. They cover dubious political or business affairs, so it’s just the usual of him. But he enjoys it and I don’t want to stop him. I’m not sure if I could.” He shot Marco a look that said _you know what I’m talking about_ and Marco’s sigh told him that he understood him perfectly. Erik had to smile. He had been better friends with Seb, but apparently, it wouldn’t take a lot of time to find their former connection with Marco, either. He was already looking forward to this year.

 

* * *

 

Alex still wasn’t at home when they arrived and Erik called him immediately, giving him half an hour to get there. He mumbled something about work and important calls he had to make, but Erik gave him no space for objection and Alex must have sensed how serious he was, because he arrived just before he would have run out of time. He greeted Marco warmheartedly and Seb a bit more reserved, but there was no sign that they would be angry at each other. They were just two very strong personalities, and they had trouble getting along.

“We can eat now, then.” Erik nodded satisfied and showed their guests into the dining room with an already set table.

“How is Mario doing?” Marco asked when they all started eating.

“Good, as far as I know.” Erik explained. “I’m sure he wouldn’t have missed this dinner if he was in Manchester. Maybe it’s better this way. He spends most of the year with the team, during the summer he really should be with his family.”

“I still can’t believe that he has a wife and children.” Marco shook his head. “I just couldn’t imagine him growing up, you know.”

“And he still hasn’t, in many ways.” Erik agreed. “But you might be surprised when you see him. He is madly in love with Lily and he’s crazy for the kids. They are just the perfect family.” He sighed wistfully, shooting a glance at Alex, as if looking for permission. The older man smiled at him and nodded. “And while we are at families…” His eyes instinctively traveled to the simple silver ring on his left ring finger and then to it pair sitting on Alex’s same finger. Marco must have noticed it, because the next moment he cried out ecstatically.

“Oh, my God! Congratulations! When did you–”

“We agreed years ago,” Alex spoke up, unable to hide his affection for the brunet sitting next to him. Their fingers intertwined and they exchanged a loving look. “but when Erik told me that he would retire definitely at the end of this season, I finally asked him to marry me.”

“And I did the same.” Erik added. “It’s not public yet, we only told our parents and a few friends. We will move back to Germany and get married there.”

“That’s amazing, isn’t it, Seb?” Marco nudged his boyfriend to get some reaction from him.

“Um, yeah, right. Congrats.” Seb bit down on his lip, embarrassed. Erik frowned, because he didn’t understand his reaction. He was sure that Seb was happy for them, too, he could see it in his eyes, but there was something else troubling his friend. He didn’t know that he would touch that sore spot with his next question.

“And what about you? Aren’t you getting married?” He asked and an awkward silence fell over the room. Marco and Seb exchanged stolen glances, and Erik wanted to slap himself for being so nosy. When he was about to carry on the conversation, Marco spoke up.

“We are happy the way we are for now.” He forced a smile on his face after he uttered his diplomatic answer. It was more than enough for Erik and he shot both of them an apologetic look.

“So what will you do in Manchester, Marco?” Alex spoke up to ease the tension his fiancé had caused. “I suppose you won’t just sit at home, right?”

“Um, no.” Marco drawled and put his cutlery on his plate. He leaned back on his chair and grabbed Seb’s hand. “I thought that I would do something charitable. I was thinking that I could found a football academy for the poor children.”

“Really?” His boyfriend asked stunned. “How come I have never heard about it?” Seb reproached him and Marco started to rub his hand with his thumb.

“I was planning to tell you when we would arrive in England, and here we are.” He smiled.

“Well, I think it is a great idea.” Erik joined the conversation, turning towards Marco. “You have always been great with kids and I can’t imagine a better pastime for you. And if you help others in the meantime, that’s only good. Have you already talked to anyone about it? Maybe a few coaches?”

“No, I only mused about it.” Marco admitted. “I want to settle in first and I’ll only take action once we are comfortable in Manchester.”

“That won’t take long.” Erik reassured him. “It might not be the most beautiful city, but it has its magic. You will have to get used to the English nature, but it’s not that horrible. Just try to avoid City fans.” He snickered. “I can show you around tomorrow, if you would like me to.”

“No, thanks, we will do just fine and don’t want to be a burden” Seb declined his offer. “I guess you are going on a vacation? There’s still weeks until pre-season starts.”

“Oh, Alex is working on a story right now and he wants to finish it before we can go. But once he is done, we are headed for Spain.” Erik explained. “Have you guys been anywhere?”

“Didn’t have the time.” Seb shook his head. “The season just ended for BVB two weeks ago, we had to pack our things, and Jürgen is adamant that we should start working right away. He wants to be extra-prepared when the players will return. He is full of energy.”

“Well, he has never lacked that.” Erik laughed. “And he has just had a year of rest. I’m already afraid of the amount of work he’ll expect from us. But I hope that at least he has calmed down a bit. The referees here aren’t that tolerant and he could find himself on the stands often enough. Not that I doubt that you would do great on the bench alone.” He turned to Seb, who looked so horrified as if he had seen a ghost or had thought of a frightening possibility.

 

* * *

 

“Could you please tell me what this was about?” Marco snapped when they entered their house. “Alex and Erik are our friends and you seemed less than impressed by the news of them getting married. You know, showing that you are happy for them wouldn’t have killed you!”

“Maybe we should talk about your new habit of keeping secrets from me instead of that!” Seb retorted, taking his shoes off furiously and marching into the living room.

Marco had tried to find a house that was similar to their home in Dortmund and he had had it furnished in a similar fashion. The point had been to create a familiar feeling to help them getting used to their new life, but it seemed that the biggest problem wouldn’t be their surroundings but they themselves.

“I wasn’t keeping secrets from you. I was going to tell you about my plans, but as I’ve said, only once we were comfortable here.” Marco explained, following his boyfriend. Seb was sitting on the leather couch and didn’t look at the blond. He stared at the empty wall in front of him, instead. The place where their photos would hang in a few days, according to Marco’s plans.

“Oh, and you decided that you would tell me about it in front of our _friends_!” Seb snorted.

“What’s your problem with them?” Marco shouted.

“Nothing. It’s just that whenever we visit them, they are The Perfect Couple, and I’m having enough of that!”

“If you are thinking again that Alex is trying to prove that he is a lot better at relationships than you, you should stop it even before you start.” Marco said and he saw on Seb’s reaction that he had hit the nail on the head. “Seb.” He sighed and sat down next to his boyfriend. “Love isn’t a competition.”

“That’s great, because I would clearly losing it against them.” Seb mumbled.

“Stop it, will you?” Marco insisted. “I meant what I said to Erik. I am happy with the way we are right now. I understand that you aren’t that comfortable with the idea of marriage, and that’s okay with me. I know that you love me and I know that I love you. It’s more than enough for me.”

“Please, Marco!” Seb took his hand and looked at him with guilt in his eyes. “I know that you care about these things. I know that you would like to get married and honestly, I don’t have any good reason against it apart from I just don’t want it.”

“Hey.” Marco lifted Seb’s head and looked in his eyes. “I’m okay with it. I would be the happiest man alive if you would ask me to marry you, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not happy by your side right now. So stop caring about others’ relationships and focus on yours. Marriage and kids are important to me, but there’s something even more important.”

“What’s that?” Seb frowned. Marco climbed on the couch and swung his leg around Seb’s lap, straddling him and lowering him so they were sitting face to face.

“You.” He said simply and kissed Seb with all the tenderness in him.

Seb welcomed the ministration and his full lips started to massage Marco in their special way. Seb could play him like an instrument, knowing where to kiss him to get the different moans from him. The younger man’s tongue darted out of his mouth, and he started to lick his way down Marco’s chin and neck, sucking on his sensitive skin, sending the blond into ecstasy and making his manhood twitch in anticipation. But Marco wasn’t going to give in that easily. He wasn’t finished with his love.

“So what do you think about my idea?” He pulled back and Seb looked at him with the eyes of a predator that had been played with. His dilated pupils spoke of annoyance and frustration for the little intermezzo in their kiss.

“Marco Reus’ football academy?” Seb raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure what to think of it. But, if that’s what you want and that’s your big dream, I won’t try to stop you. I have been worried about you. Since your retirement, you have lost your passion for a lot of things and you seemed a bit lost, as if you didn’t know your place in the world anymore. And maybe this is it, who am I to tell? So I’ll support you.”

“I appreciate it, but that’s not exactly what I meant.” Marco smiled and gave a chaste peck on Seb’s cheek just to frustrate him a bit more. “How do you think I will do?”

“As long as you don’t want to coach them and prepare them for matches…” Seb teased him. “I might have questioned your coaching abilities, but I don’t doubt that you could give the kids something much better than anyone else could. The joy of football. That’s what you are the best at.”

“That was beautiful, darling!” Marco said and let Seb kiss him before he stood up, earning a groan from the younger man. “And you deserve a reward for being a _truly_ amazing boyfriend.” He snickered and rushed out of the room.

He had had many things on his mind when he had arranged everything for their moving, but one thing had been his top priority all the time: he had wanted to celebrate with Seb. He opened the fridge in the kitchen and he saw satisfied the bottle of champagne lying there, and waiting to be of good use. He quickly picked out two glasses and rushed back to his boyfriend looking at him questioningly from his spot.

“I see that you thought of everything.” He grinned and reached for the bottle. It had always been his job to open them.

“I’m amazing and I know it.” Marco smirked, relieved that they had managed to talk through the first smaller obstacle so easily. A loud popping sound announced that Seb had succeeded and he filled their glasses with the liquid.

“So what exactly are we celebrating?” Seb asked when he handed Marco his glass.

“Us. Here’s to a successful and happy new chapter to our lives.” He raised his glass and they sipped from the delicious champagne. “And now, I want to show you our _home_.”

“I’m in.” Seb laughed. “But please, let’s head for our bedroom first. I want to check if you’ve really made a great job at furnishing and if our new bed is any good.”


	7. The First Impression

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for your ongoing support, I hope you'll like the next chapter as well. Feel free to share your opinion with me. :-)
> 
> Since this story is set 10 years from now, most of the characters (player and coaches) at United will be original characters.

Saying that Seb stood in front of United’s training center on trembling legs would have been an exaggeration. He did get out of his rented car with a heavy heart, though. There were so many dark thoughts troubling him, making him nervous. The season in front of them would be all about change and Seb hated it. He always acted lighthearted in those situations, but only because he let the flow take him wherever it wanted to. He never fought, because he didn’t know, how. So he accepted whatever came his way. Some called it cowardice, other said that it was the right thing to do and admired his habit of looking forward instead of complaining about his current situation, however gloomy it might be. Some went as far to say that he was a real fighter. Seb didn’t know if they were right or not.

He certainly didn’t feel like one as he walked down the still empty corridors. The players had left for their well-deserved vacation and it was still early for the coaches to arrive for their pre-pre-season meeting Klopp had wanted. The other staff members would get one week of rest soon, and the hard work for Klopp and Seb would start. If Seb was honest to himself, that was what troubled him the most. He had talked with his former mentor a lot of times about his expectations, but he wasn’t sure how he would do as an assistant coach in real life. Theoretically, he knew what he was supposed to do, but practice was much harder.

His throat went dry when he arrived at a simple wooden door. It wasn’t the door itself that scared him, it was the nametag right next to it. Sebastian Kruse and right under it: Assistant manager – Defensive coach. It was so strange to read it. All he had ever dreamed of, he had ever thought possible, had come true. He had a wonderful boyfriend, a happy life and he was working for a world-class club. And yet, he couldn’t completely savor the moment, because there was that little doubt in his mind about his own future.

Marco had reassured him countless times during their more or less sleepless night that he would do great. It wasn’t his capabilities that Seb was actually afraid of, as offensive as it might sound. He was sure that he knew everything he needed to know about football and he didn’t even have to make an effort about it. All those things that needed eagle eyes from others and lots of video analysis came naturally to him. He lived with a game and he knew what would happen. People loved to make a big mystery out of football, but Seb couldn’t be fooled. Football was simple.

It was his role that he was afraid of. In Dortmund, he had had a clearly defined position. He had big responsibility, but he could live with it. In Manchester, it would all change. Actually, he would be second in order right after Klopp when it came to coaching. Other coaches of the club would come to him with ideas, they would ask him questions and he would have to make decisions on his own. And, if he knew Klopp right, he knew that the older coach had challenges readied for him.

His office wasn’t locked and he entered, immediately starting to hate the room. It had too much furniture for Seb’s taste. Everyone had laughed at him at BVB for his strange kind of orderless order, but he had never asked for shelves or files. They had seemed needless and he was sure that he would keep this habit of his at United, too. He just knew where to look for any paper if he had been the one to put it in one place or the other. He wanted to get rid of the many plants, the shelves, the armchairs, the photos from United’s glorious history the office’s previous owner had left behind and everything that could have been a source of disturbance. A desk, a chair and a TV would be more than enough for him.

He sighed and walked around the huge mahogany desk and plopped down in his comfortable chair. A long day was about to start and Seb had no idea what to expect of it.

 

* * *

 

During the two hours he had to wait until the start of their meeting, only Klopp visited him to check if he was here already. No one seemed to be interested in seeing him, but then, there would be plenty of time to get acquainted with everyone around here. He had checked the staff members, but only found vague information about them, and nothing about their style or their abilities. Klopp had wanted to keep the core of the coaching team of the past seasons, and only brought in Seb and a new head physio. United had been a successful team for a few years now and there was no point in changing what had worked perfectly.

Seb had no intention to enter the conference room before the meeting’s official starting time, and he wasn’t surprised when a dozen pairs of eyes looked at him when he eventually entered. Klopp was sitting at the end of a U-shaped set of desks, an empty chair next to him, that must have been Seb’s. The other coaches, physios and staff members were sitting down the two line of desks, inspecting their new assistant manager and obviously not pleased with what they saw. Okay, seeing that they were all dressed in formal or at least semi-formal clothes, wearing old jeans and a shabby T-shirt might not have been Seb’s best idea ever, but no one had told him that this would be a serious discussion. He had thought that it would only be an introductory meeting for Klopp before the manager would be presented to the media later today.

“Ah, Sebastian! Come sit down and we can start.” The head coach greeted him and Seb walked past his colleagues and sat down on the only empty chair. “Well, I will save us from the round of introductions, I think we know each other’s names and I don’t want to keep you waiting before your vacations. I only wanted to tell you some basic rules I want us to work by and give you the chance to leave now if you don’t like them.” Klopp spoke with a heavy accent and he had to stop occasionally to find the right words. His eyes scanned over the impassive faces of his audience.

“First of all, I want everyone to give one hundred percent. If you can’t do that, you are not needed here. On this level, there’s no place for rest, but I think that I don’t have to tell you that. Most people might see the success only, but you know about the hard work behind every such story. You won’t give your best because of yourselves, the players or the fans. What we do, we are doing for Manchester United, a club that is bigger than us.” His passionate monologue was met with approving silence, only a few nodded.

“Secondly, I want to implement a democratic system here. I am your boss, but I want to be a leader instead of an obnoxious dick telling you what to do. I’m open to your suggestions, I will hear you out. I need thinking helpers, not obedient men who always agree with me. But one thing I insist on. On the sidelines, _I_ am the boss.” He continued in a stricter voice. “And once I will have made a decision, you won’t question it, only carry it out the best possible way. You will watch the game and if you want to tell me something, you will wait until I will sit on the bench or you will discuss it with Sebastian first.” He jerked his head in Seb’s direction. This time, the approving nods were lagging behind and Seb wasn’t sure whether it was because of Klopp’s choice of words or because of a disrespect towards him.

“Finally, and this might be the most important: I expect honesty. I am interested in your true opinion. If you don’t agree with me, don’t be afraid to tell it. But it doesn’t stand only for me. I want every coach to communicate this way. If we are to progress, we need ideas and the ability to work together. In that, honesty is very important.” A few staff member now hummed.

“And now, before I let you go. I have my own ideas about the players I would like to bring in to the team, but I would like to hear your opinions, too.” He spread his hands as if to show that he was open to suggestions.

A long silence fell over the room and Klopp waited patiently. He must have known how hard it was to gather the courage to talk to your new superior and he looked at everyone with understanding, trying to look as welcoming as possible. Most of the couches only looked at their hands or inspected their pens, but in the end, an older coach on the left of Klopp spoke up.

“It’s clear that we must improve our defense.” His voice was raspy and he talked in a Manchester accent that would make it hard for Marco to understand him. Seb knew him very well. Richard Walker was a long-serving attacking coach for the club and his position made him someone like a second assistant coach. “Our attack works well, but there’s no point in scoring goals if we concede that much or even more.”

“Bullshit!” Seb snorted and the air froze in the room. Even Klopp shot him a disapproving glance. “I thought we were being honest here.” Seb shrugged, untouched. Walker’s reaction was different. He stared at him with a cutting glance, as if he had been offended by Seb. “Last season, the team conceded 34 goals. You can win a title easily with that record. The problem is with the attack. They rarely scored more than two in a match and that cost a lot of points for the team. So maybe that’s the area where we need improvement.”

“Sure thing, why don’t we buy three world-class strikers and just expect our problems to solve themselves!” Walker snapped. “Unfortunately, it’s not that simple in real-life.”

“It were if the attack was functional.” Seb snarled and he was sure that Walker would spring up and charge at him, if it hadn’t been for Klopp.

“That’s enough!” He intervened. “I would have liked to hear concrete suggestions. Players’ names and not a general overview.”

“I’m sure your assistant already has the answer to that question, too.” Walker hissed.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Seb smiled, provoking his new colleague even more. “We should look around in the youth teams, first. It’s been ages since the last first-team player came through the academy. Poor statistics for a club most known for educating its future stars.”

His words were answered with silence, but Seb could feel that most coaches agreed with him, but he still couldn’t convince Walker and he was pretty sure that they would never get on well. He didn’t mind it though. Not everyone was meant to be able to work with each other.

“If there are no more suggestions, I think we can end our little meeting now.” Klopp spoke up again. “Thank you for coming and I wish you a pleasant vacation. Recharge your batteries and we’ll see each other in a week.”

The conference room was empty surprisingly soon, with only Seb and Klopp staying. Seb had sensed instinctively that the trainer wanted to talk with him and he sat on his chair calmly, awaiting the probable telling off. Klopp waited until everyone else left and then he turned towards his assistant, his eyes on fire.

“What was this about? Do you want to start a fight with everyone on your first day?” He switched to German. In a world where the opposition teams tried to decipher what the coaches were speaking on the sidelines, they had agreed that they would communicate with each other in their mother tongue.

“I only did what you asked of us. I was being honest.” Seb said dispassionately. He couldn’t be moved. He knew that he was right and he would not wrap his opinion just to please others.

“There’s a difference between being honest and being rude!” Klopp reproached him. “The coaches here will try to test our limits and we will already have it hard to work together, please don’t make our job harder than necessary.” He changed to a more balanced tone. The fact that he most probably agreed with Seb on everything he had said must have helped the young coach’s cause.

“Do you want me to go apologize?” Seb asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Would you if I asked you to?” Klopp laughed.

“No.” Seb shook his head, allowing himself a smile.

“I’ll tell you as it is, Sebastian.” Klopp started. “Most of these people are jealous of you. You are younger than them or about their age and you already got further than them. You are a born talent, but don’t let it ruin your career. Be more patient with others and don’t act like you are more than them just because you see things better than they do. You aren’t better, and I will have the same expectations towards you as towards them.”

“At least it won’t be that hard for me to meet them as it will be for the other coaches.” Seb grinned jokingly.

“I’ve forgotten how hard it is to work with you.” Klopp shook his head in disbelief. “Fun and productive, but so so hard.”

 

* * *

 

Luckily, Klopp didn’t push the topic and he considered their talk finished, soon leaving for his first ever press conference as Manchester United’s coach. Seb had nothing to do. Although Klopp and he would start preparing for the next season and prepare everything to meet their ideas, this day was freer. And yet, Seb didn’t want to go home. He didn’t have anything against their new house, but Marco was most probably unpacking their belongings and it wasn’t one of Seb’s most favorite activities. He knew that he couldn’t take it without comments and he didn’t want to trouble Marco with his grouses.

Instead, he went into his office and started setting it up for his use. He took the photos off the wall and emptied the shelves. Tomorrow, he would ask the maintenance personnel to take them away, too. When he was done, he sat down to his desk and started his computer. Klopp’s press conference was about to start and he wanted to watch it. He wasn’t interested in what his boss had to say, because he knew that it would only be the usual stuff, but there was one question he feared that the journalists would ask and he was anxious about Klopp’s reaction.

He was right. Klopp started with an introductory talk about the club, the city, this new challenge in his career and the opportunity to grow as a coach at the Red Devils. After that came the usual questions and answers about what kind of football he would like his team to play, what approach he would take on coaching and so on. Klopp answered with patience and his personality was visible through his talk, even though he sometimes had trouble expressing himself. The journalists couldn’t get enough and the questions kept coming and half an hour into the press conference, Seb heard the only one he feared that would be asked.

“Mr. Klopp, it has already been made public that Sebastian Kruse would be your assistant coach. The two of you have worked together at Dortmund, but back then Mr. Kruse was a simple coach. Could you please tell us why have you chosen him for the role and how do you think he will do?”

A decently put inquiry, but Seb saw through it. It was a very soft and subtle way of asking Klopp if there were any concerns that Seb might get mobbed because of his homosexuality. Seb wasn’t disappointed in the English tactfulness. Klopp must have sensed the same, too, because he fell silent for a few seconds and he considered what he should say.

“I am one hundred percent sure that Sebastian is the right choice for this position. We worked together very well at the BVB and I don’t see him as only my assistant. He is an extraordinary talent and has good understanding of football. I chose him because I was sure of his skills. He showed me what he is capable of in Dortmund and he convinced me there. Since then, he learned a lot of things and I think that he has become a better coach. He is always eager to learn and he is always extra-prepared. I think he will do an amazing job here at Manchester United.” He said calmly, smiling and avoiding the route the journalists had tried to push him down on.

Seb couldn’t have been more grateful to him. He didn’t want to become a sensation, someone the newspapers could write about endlessly. He had seen what the attention and publicity did to Marco, how they had wanted to make him a pioneer, a fighter for gay footballers’ rights and equality and Seb had thought it disgusting. He had made Klopp swear that he would help him and protect him as much as possible from having to face the same. And it seemed that the trainer had kept his word and Seb had his full support.

It was an amazing feeling and while Seb savored it, he realized that _giving_ this kind of support would feel even better. He leaned forward, opened the web browser on his computer and started his search.


	8. Support

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for your ongoing support of this story and Marco and Seb. I'm really happy that so many of you gave them a chance once again and agree with me that their journey is far from finished. :-) I hope you will enjoy this update as well, and you will share your opinion with me. :-)

Their things arrived not long after noon and Marco started with unpacking them immediately. He opened the boxes with his clothes and personal belongings first. Not that Seb had forbidden him to touch his things – they had even reached a point where the raven-haired didn’t even mind if Marco wore his clothes every now and again. He simply wanted to spare himself from having to listen to his boyfriend’s grunts. If Seb couldn’t find something he was looking for, he wouldn’t stop complaining and the best way to avoid that was letting him put his stuff away. Even if it sometimes meant a messy house.

This improvement didn’t apply for Seb’s personal notes and analysis on Marco’s play during his career. Those files were still kept away from the blond with big care and he supposed that he would never get to see them in his life. He was glad and he hated it at the same time. Seb had never hidden his opinion if Marco had asked him about it, but he was also aware that his boyfriend had wrapped his thoughts into a nice package when talking directly to him. There might have been some notes in those papers waiting for him he might consider hurtful.

He was halfway through filling their closet, when he received a message from Seb. It was already late and the younger one should have arrived from work, but Marco gathered that Klopp was keeping him in for some meetings or discussions. That’s why he was completely shocked when he read the text. _Get ready, I’m taking you out for dinner_. He stared at the words incredulously. It was hard to believe that they actually meant what he thought they did.

The fact that Seb was inviting him for dinner – he would never admit a more romantic thing such as a date – was a smaller miracle. Seb was romantic in his own special way. He did nice things to Marco, but almost exclusively in the comfort of their home or maybe in front of people he trusted completely. But more public places were out of question and that’s what bugged Marco the most. Not that he was going to throw away such an opportunity that easily. His heart was already racing as he was waiting for the moment his boyfriend would come home and surprise him in the most pleasant way.

When Seb finally arrived, there was nothing romantic about his behavior. He stormed into the house, straight into the living room where Marco was sitting fully dressed for their dinner. The blond thought that maybe his boyfriend would take a quick shower or at least change his clothes, but once again, he misjudged Seb. The raven-haired only walked to him, gave him a hasty kiss before he asked him with a blazing face.

“Ready?”

“Aren’t you going to get ready?” Marco frowned, but Seb’s clueless expression told him that his question was pointless. His boyfriend already considered himself ready for a dinner. He wasn’t making a big deal out of a date. “Never mind. I’ll just get my coat.”

“It’s really warm outside.” Seb shrugged.

“We’re in England. One moment it’s sunny, the next second you are in the middle of a storm.” Marco explained. He hurried to the closet where he had put their clothes and got his own and Seb’s coat, too.

On their way to their rented car, Marco managed to persuade Seb to let him drive, but as soon as they pulled off, he came to regret it.

“Um, you might want to drive on the right side of the road, which is the left one here.” He drawled and Marco didn’t understand him for a moment. But then, he spotted a garbage truck heading straight towards them.

“Shit!” He cried out as he pulled to their lane. He felt so embarrassed that he had forgotten about such a peculiarity. Of course, Seb would never forget that things were different on this side of the Channel.

“I love the forgetful dork you sometimes are.” Seb chuckled as he reached for Marco’s hand resting on the gear stick and gently brushed over the back of his hand.

“Any instructions where we are going?” Marco asked, trying to silence his boyfriend, so Seb wouldn’t tease him endlessly.

“Not really.” Seb shook his head. “Just let’s go towards the city center, find a parking spot and see what’s nearby. That’s how we are going to explore the city.”

So they did so. They found a small parking lot next to a park and Marco stopped their car there. He was going to buy a car for them very soon, but he wanted to finish furnishing their home, first. They got out, but before they could start looking for a nice restaurant, Seb opened the boot and got out his rucksack.

“Some important papers in there?” Marco smiled, teasingly.

“Not in the way you think they are.” Seb said simply, perplexing the blond. What was going on here? First there was Seb’s strange idea of them having a dinner out, and now a little secret. But Seb didn’t want to dwell on it, he stepped to Marco and grabbed his hand. “Can we go?”

Marco nodded and locked the car. They started to stroll through the park. It was almost completely deserted and Marco felt comfortable, until they turned into a busier street. It still wasn’t crowded, but there were people walking up and down, talking or just standing around. Marco immediately let go of Seb’s hand. In Dortmund, they would have had no trouble displaying their affection, but this was a new environment, and Marco didn’t want to risk getting Seb into trouble. But the younger one obviously wanted to get into trouble, because he reached for the blond’s hand again and grabbed it, holding it in a firm grip. The single touch and especially the meaning of it warmed Marco’s heart, but before he could start enjoying an evening out with his boyfriend, a rough voice brought them out of their sweet moment.

“There goes Fag United’s future!” The stranger called out, using the name the other teams’ fans had started to call Manchester United after Erik had moved there.

Marco gulped in terror. His heart missed a beat and a cascade of memories of all the hate he had had to deal with came back. He had nearly forgotten what a fight he had gone through and he was now blaming himself for not remembering it, and not saving his boyfriend from it. If only he had insisted that they walked only side by side…

But, it was too late. Seb spun around towards the source of the sound and Marco followed him. A few teenagers gathered around a nearby bench and it had been one of them who had insulted Seb. Marco looked frightened at the raven-haired because he saw the fire burning in Seb’s eyes.

“Seb, love, please, don’t–” He tried to stop him, but it was too late. Seb was headed towards the boys with determined steps.

Marco closed his eyes, because he was afraid that Seb would start a fight and he didn’t want to see it. He glanced around for help, hoping that a few passersby had noticed what had happened and they would come to tell off the teenagers. It was a false hope. Those who had heard the hateful comment, only stood curious about what was going to happen. Seb stopped just an inch from the boy who had called after him, his eyes fogged by anger, but he was holding the eye contact.

“Anything else you want to say?” He snapped, inspecting the teenager’s face. The boy was clearly surprised that Seb had actually reacted to his call. He must have expected that Seb and Marco would walk on, swallowing down the insult. That’s what the blond would have done, but Seb never was the more peaceful one of them. The boy now looked around scared, waiting for support from his friends. “Good.” Seb nodded satisfied, seeing the teenager’s powerlessness. “And now you might want to go somewhere else.”

“Forget about it! I’m not going to leave just because of some fa–” He finally found his voice again, but Seb didn’t let him speak for a long time.

“Oh yes, you will.” He said calmly, using his hypnotizing look to underline his words. The teenager tried to meet his gaze, but he had already lost and he must have sensed it. His friends did too, because one of them placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s go, Danny!” He said and the little group walked away slowly and defeated. Seb wasn’t finished, though. His eyes scanned over the bystanders, reproaching them without words and it worked, because everyone decided to stare at their feet all of a sudden.

“Sorry about that.” Seb apologized when he stepped to Marco again.

“You don’t have anything to apologize for, love.” The blond sighed, overwhelmed by his boyfriend’s brilliant reaction. It was now him reaching for Seb’s hand and grabbing it stronger than before. “Especially not instead of them.” He jerked his head in the direction where the boys had disappeared.

“Come on, Marco, they were just bored and thought that this would be cool. Make them a hero of their club. It’s not a big deal.” He shrugged and he must have meant his words, because he walked on casually, tugging Marco along. “Can we go in there?” He pointed at the restaurant closest to them.

Marco agreed. He didn’t want to spend more time than necessary on the street where passersby kept looking at them. The restaurant was packed with people, but amazingly, a waiter stepped to them and showed them to the only empty table. They sat down, unnoticed by most of the guests. Seb was again the cheerful young man he had been ever since he had come home from work and Marco didn’t know what to make out of it. Most of the time, when his boyfriend acted similarly, it meant that he had done something bad and he needed to make up for it.

“How was your day?” Marco asked once they had ordered their dinners. Both of them hated British cuisine and they ordered the least revolting meal. Marco suspected that there was a serious reason behind the sudden change in Seb’s attitude and it troubled him. He loved surprises, but only to a certain degree and until they didn’t make him uncomfortable.

“Nothing extra.” Seb shrugged. “I’ve made a new friend.”

“Not already!?” Marco snapped reproachfully. So there _was_ something behind this dinner. Seb must have started a fight with one of his new colleagues and he thought that Marco would be more merciful towards him if he told it during a wonderful meal. Well, he was mistaken. These tricks didn’t work anymore on the blond.

“It’s not like I’m searching for enemies.” Seb raised his hands in his defense.

“Well, you certainly wouldn’t find that many of them if you were more tactful sometimes and considered what you were saying.” Marco told him off. He wasn’t really angry with him. He couldn’t be mad at Seb for him being who he was. Seb was the man he loved and he didn’t want to change anything about him.

“Or, maybe others should get used to my style and accept it.” Seb hit back. “Which one is the more probable?”

“Knowing you, the latter one.” Marco sighed, shaking his head. Nothing could make his stubborn boyfriend consider others’ point of view if he didn’t want to hear about them.

“Exactly.” Seb snickered, but his face turned serious all of a sudden. “But I’ll try to be nice to them, I promise.” He said and it was obvious that he was being sincere.

“So if it wasn’t your way to apologize to me or just to avoid being told off, why have you brought me out for a dinner?” Marco inquired.

“Can’t I invite my boyfriend to spend our time together?” Seb asked, somewhat pouting.

“Not as long as your name is Sebastian Kruse.” Marco teased him and they shared a short laugh.

“Do you really want to see it?” Seb asked, a new fire burning in his eyes. It was the fire every artist shared when they were talking about something, a creation of theirs, close to their heart. It was the fire that told Marco that whatever he might think of Seb’s newest idea, it wouldn’t change how the younger one saw it.

Seb reached into his rucksack lying next to his chair and pulled out a folder. He opened it and brought out a few papers from it. He looked at them before he handed them to Marco. The blond was looking at pictures of what looked like a meadow but must have been a sport field a few months ago, and a bit broken-down building.

“What’s this?” He asked his boyfriend, not sure what to think of these pictures.

“The perfect place for your academy.” Seb said simply and Marco gasped in surprise. He buried his face in the papers again as the raven-haired continued. “It’s small, but I think it has the perfect size for a charity football academy. It won’t cost you a lot to maintain it with just one pitch and a small building. Sure thing, it will need some renovation, but it has been abandoned only for three months now and it’s already cheap. It’s a bargain buy, if you ask me. The building has just a few rooms, two or three for offices, a changing room and bathroom. Not too big, but not too small, either. I’d start with a place like this one, and then buy a bigger training pitch if needed.” He finished and looked expectantly at the blond.

Marco was still too taken aback to form coherent thoughts as he measured the pictures in front of him. Yes, Seb was right. Looking at the shots of the interior of the building, he could already imagine little boys and girls running up and down, getting ready for learning to play football. But, no matter how much he liked the idea, he couldn’t silence the doubts in his head.

“Seb, this is all amazing, but I wanted to start with this academy only when we were ready and you settled in at United.” He said gently.

“Don’t you like it?” Seb’s eyes widened. He looked disappointed and also mad at himself because of the possibility that he had let his boyfriend down.

“No, it’s wonderful. Just like you said: perfect.” Marco tried to dispel his concern immediately. “I’m just not sure whether this is the right time for my project. Maybe we should wait a bit before I start with it. A lot of things changed around us lately and it’s not over yet. I don’t want it to get too much on us.”

“I don’t understand.” Seb shook his head. “If you like it, why don’t you say yes? I’ve gone to check the place out, it’s even better in real life, I can assure you. And I’m sure we could arrange an even lower price.”

“It’s not about the money, Seb. I have more than I can spend.” Marco cut in.

“Then what it is about?” Seb snapped and now he was clearly annoyed. “If I ever learned something from you, it’s that you should never wait with fulfilling your dreams once the opportunity presents itself to you. Why do you hesitate now, Marco? Don’t worry about me, I will do fine at United. You must find your own life in Manchester as well. I don’t want to get the Marco Reus sitting at home all days long and recalling the good old days back. I’ve had enough of that version of you. I want to see a Marco Reus full of life and doing his passion. You’ve never questioned my decision of coming here to England, and I want to give you back the same support. Marco, your idea is perfect and you should work hard to accomplish it. I can help you and I will help you, if you want me to. But please, don’t pass up a chance because of considerations for me or for us. I will only be happy if you are happy.”

“Wow, Seb, this was beautiful.” Marco blushed and gaped. He was overwhelmed by his boyfriend’s monologue. He felt motivated and now had a pretty good idea about why Klopp had wanted to work with Seb. If the raven-haired could read their players this well, Marco was sure that they wouldn’t have a problem with lack of motivation. “You surprised me, what’s gotten into you?”

“Have you watched Klopp’s press conference?” Seb asked and Marco wanted to slap himself. He had forgotten about it completely. He shook his head ashamed. “You didn’t miss a lot, but he spoke very fondly of me and I realized that I haven’t valued the support I got well enough. I wanted to come here and make a step in my career, but it couldn’t have happened if Klopp hadn’t made that offer or if you hadn’t backed me from the bottom of your heart. I want to give some of it back to you.”

“Seb, you’ve already supported me more than enough when I was an active footballer. I wouldn’t have become so successful if it wasn’t for you keeping me going all the time.” Marco stammered, touched by his boyfriend’s tenderness.

“It isn’t a contest, Marco, and the past is the past. I want us to look forward and I don’t mean me looking forward to my new job and you looking forward to supporting me. I want you to make your dream come true and not waste time.”

“Do you really want me to do that?” Marco asked. “Should I start with making this academy come true?”

“Well, if I’m allowed to make a little correction,” Seb drawled “maybe _we_ could start it happening.”


	9. Allies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I will update this story regularly on Sundays now. School restarted a few weeks ago and I don't find a lot of time writing during the week, so I have to write most of the chapters on Friday and Saturday. Maybe once I will have a chapter finished already on Wednesday, but I don't want to risk posting it right away and then having you wait for an update for almost two weeks, I hope you understand. :-)  
> Thank you very much for your ongoing support and sharing your thoughts about each and every chapter of this story, I really appreciate it. Every story of this series is special to me and I can't tell you how happy I am when I see that you find the time to leave a comment. :-)

_two weeks later_

 

“Seb!” The voice hadn’t lost its childish tone although its owner now had a few faint wrinkles just like Seb and his face was framed by a thick beard. It struck Seb unexpectedly. They hadn’t met in a long time and they had drifted away, although they had never been good friends to say the least.

“Good morning, Götze.” Seb nodded in his guest’s direction and watched as Mario literally stormed into his office, the gush of wind his arrival had caused flipping over a few of Seb’s notes. The brunet looked around amazed, probably trying to figure out what had happened, but in the end, he didn’t make any remark about Seb’s habit of keeping his office as messy as possible; the coach appreciated it a lot.

“Are we all formal now?” Mario asked instead as he sat down in front of Seb’s desk. He still had that grin Seb had always thought stupid and sickening, although maybe he had done so because Mario had shown it to Marco too many times for his liking.

“Well, I’m your coach so maybe we should keep things formal as much as possible.” Seb shrugged. He wasn’t very moved by Mario’s visit or at least he didn’t want to show it. It was the day of their first meeting with the players and there was no training scheduled for today. The players would only undergo some tests and Seb had no intention of participating in it. There was no point in seeing the players – _his_ players in a way – run around while doctors checked their heart rate and endurance.

“I see.” Mario said. “It’s good then that I came in a private matter.” He looked at Seb who was seemingly preoccupied with reading a report, his eyes scanning the sheet.

“I’m listening.” Seb mumbled, without averting his gaze. Mario wasn’t very comfortable talking to someone who obviously wasn’t playing attention to him. He decided to give his young coach a welcoming lesson and he already knew the best way to do it.

“I’m in love with Marco.” Mario said, trying hard to keep his laughter back. But, his plan worked. Seb dropped the paper and jerked his head in Mario’s direction, his pupils widened in awe for a moment. The next second, he spotted the playful twinkle in Mario’s eyes and he looked ready to kill the brunet for playing such cruel games with him. “Now that you _are_ listening, I’d like to invite you for dinner. Well, Lily and I would like to have you for dinner. We came back from vacation yesterday and we’d be really glad if you could come. Today, tomorrow, the date is up to Marco and you.”

“Great, thank you. I’ll talk to Marco about it.” Seb sighed, showing no real excitement and his eyes still resembled those of a murderer as he shot a final cutting glance in Mario’s direction. With that, he picked up the paper he was reading and got lost in the text in a split second.

“Um–” Mario drawled. He wasn’t sure if he should continue. He hadn’t expected Seb to be so reserved and almost cold towards him. They had never worked together and he had had the idea that Seb would be easygoing just like the way Mario remembered him from his years in Dortmund, but that had been more than ten years ago.

“Anything else I can help you with?” Seb asked. He looked at Mario, trying to prevent another prank.

“There would be something else. Something more football-related.” Mario started. Seb set down the paper and turned towards the brunet, signaling him to go on. “Erik might have told you that we are planning to retire together this season.” A nod from Seb told him that he was caught up on the news. “I have no illusions about my capabilities and skills. I’m not getting any younger and I don’t expect to be at my best, but the last two years I was putting on some abysmal performances.”

Seb’s eyebrows ran up his forehead. He was pleasantly surprised by Mario’s straightforwardness and honesty. He hadn’t expected the brunet to be so critical of himself. He leaned forward in his chair, because he was honestly curious now where this would lead.

“I’m not satisfied with that.” Mario continued. “You know, I want to go with a bang if it’s possible. So I thought that maybe you could help me to get ready for the new season. Teach me how to use my strengths to the fullest and so.”

“Even though I’m a defensive coach?” Seb asked, although Mario’s request flattered him, if he wanted to be honest.

“Oh, come on, I know you, Seb!” Mario snorted. “I haven’t worked with you yet, but I know how much you know about football. You are only defensive coach because you know more about the opponent’s attack than the opponent itself. So don’t try to tell me that you can’t help me.”

“I’ve never said that.” Seb leaned back. “I’m just surprised that you turned to me. United already have an attacking coach.”

“Who? Walker?” Mario looked at Seb with an expression saying ‘you can’t be serious’. “I’m not old enough to be senile and choose him over you.”

“I’m starting to like working with you, Mario.” Seb laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks.” Mario sighed relieved. “I should be going now. The team meeting is soon and I don’t want to be late. I don’t want to be told off by our new assistant manager.” He smiled and stood up, heading for the door, but before he would leave, he turned back. “Oh, and when you are coming for the dinner, no presents. Don’t spoil our children, if that’s an option. They are greedy and always want more once you give them a little.”

“They must get it after their father.” Seb said amused and they shared a laugh. “Wait for me, I’m going in a second.” He gave a final glance at the report he was reading and then he stood up, following Mario. He needed allies in this new environment and he had to admit that he might have misjudged the brunet.

 

* * *

 

The meeting room was full of players anxious about meeting their new coach and the upcoming season. Seb sensed the excited buzz the moment he entered after Mario. The brunet greeted his teammates casually and walked to a little group of them, including Erik. The defender spotted Seb and waved at him. Soon, the young assistant coach felt every players’ gaze on him. He didn’t mind the attention that much, he knew that he had to get used to it, but he still felt uncomfortable, being inspected like a rare commodity. He accepted Erik’s greeting with a faint and very quick smile and then he started to look around in the squad’s meeting room.

There were dozens of chairs in one half of it and then a few in the other end of the room, facing towards where the players would sit. All in all, Seb had the impression that this room was designed to accommodate at least three football teams for meetings. In one corner, there was a huge TV screen mounted on the wall, connected to various devices, allowing the coaching staff to hold the most modern video briefings. In the other corner, a whiteboard with a not less impressive size made sure that the more conservative preparations for a match could be realized, too. The decoration, like in every room in the training complex Seb had been to, consisted of photos and relics from the past. Seb sighed. Everything pointed towards United’s past and nothing towards the future. He couldn’t understand this mentality that he found so special and typical of the English conception of football.

He walked to the single row of chairs reserved for the coaching and medical staff’s members. He found a small white paper on each of them. He searched for his own chair, rumpled the label into a little ball and tossed it into the corner. His actions were met with some attention from the players, but most of them were back to their conversations. They reminded Seb of schoolboys coming back from summer vacation, eager to share their nicest moments with their friends.

He picked up his chair and walked with it towards the players’ allotted area and put it down right before it, facing the single and now gaping line. He wasn’t any different from the players gathered in this room. He was an employee of this club as much as they were and he had to prove his own skills the same way. He slumped down on the chair, maintaining his impassive look and not caring about the silent whispering going on behind his back. Some players noticed his ploy and were now telling their teammates about it and Seb could feel a change in the room’s atmosphere.

When he had entered, he had felt some sort of a distance from the players’ part. He hadn’t been surprised. He was only a few years older than some of them, and of the same age with the squad’s most experienced members. He was seen as a rookie and he hadn’t expected the players to believe in him. It wasn’t even needed. Klopp was the leader, Seb was only supposed to help him. But he had made a good first impression nonetheless. He might not have convinced everyone yet, but he had brought down a few walls and had made the first step of gaining the players’ trust and approval.

 

* * *

 

“See, I’ve told you that he’d be great!” Erik grinned satisfied, watching as Seb sat down. He quickly scanned over the faces of the five players standing with him in a circle. He saw amazement on them, including Mario’s. The midfielder might have known Seb better than the rest of the players, but Erik easily forgot that they had never really worked together until now.

“So what? I’m not gonna think that he’s second to none just because he doesn’t want to be in the spotlight.” Chris Weir, a young center-back shrugged.

“Come on, don’t try to pretend that you’re not impressed!” Erik chuckled, because he saw through his friend’s mask. He had known that Seb would have it hard getting accepted, and so he was glad that the raven-haired found this simple and yet so effective way to start with a very big good point with the players. Not that he really needed it. Erik was sure that he would need only one opportunity to show everyone his deep understanding of football and everyone would be lined up in front of his office to get some advice. Or maybe it was a bit exaggeration. He might have been slightly partial when it came to Seb or any of his friends.

“Guys, it’s our first day back and you want to talk about work?” Rickie Jones, United’s second goalkeeper spoke up. He was the most easygoing among them and Erik didn’t have to think hard what alternative he would offer to work. “Why don’t we chill out while we still can? I’ll tell you what: a party at my place tonight. What do you say?”

“Um, Lily and I invited Seb and Marco for dinner, and it might happen tonight.” Mario bit down on his lips. He was one of the biggest names in the squad and yet, he still behaved like a sheepish greenhorn sometimes.

“Maybe they could come to the party.” Erik suggested. “We always hung out together in Dortmund and it worked perfectly.”

“Do you guys want to become the teacher’s pet?” Rickie teased them. “You already have an advantage, because you’ve both worked with Klopp and are friends with this Kruse-guy. I don’t want any spies on my parties. What happens among footballers should stay between footballers.”

Erik couldn’t believe his ears. He was sure that Rickie wasn’t speaking completely seriously, that he was trying to joke, but he still hadn’t expected this kind of refusal. But, it made sense. In most teams, it was unimaginable to spend time with the coaches outside the training grounds. Erik was quite sure that they wouldn’t have had done it in Dortmund if it hadn’t been for Seb being Marco’s boyfriend. But, he wanted to stand by Seb right from the start and support him from the backstage, because he knew how hard the young coach would have it to even get the same treatment than someone else. He opened his mouth to object, but right then, Klopp walked into the room, accompanied by the other coaches.

“Good morning everyone! Please, sit down!” The new manager gave out his first instruction to his team. The players started off towards the chairs and sat down, the buzz never fading. Klopp stopped for a moment when he noticed the missing chair next to his and he turned around, frowning. Seb raised his hand to help his boss with finding him; Klopp shot him a questioning glance, but he let it be. He didn’t sit down, and Erik wasn’t surprised. The older coach was always on fire and he had never spoken to the team sitting down in Dortmund.

“I hope you have had a fantastic vacation and you recharged your batteries, because from today on, the hard work will start.” Klopp started, not waiting for the players to get quiet. His voice cut through the room though and he achieved a silence with his first sentence. “I want us to be clear on this one: I expect one hundred percent from you all the time. If you will give me that, we will get along very well. If not, well, I’m sure there are a lot of football clubs who will be interested in you.” He said strictly and his eyes scanned over the perplexed faces. Erik knew how everyone in England viewed Kloppo as a kind of a cool guy who always jokes around and laughs a lot at trainings. It was true, at least partly. Whenever Klopp wasn’t pleased with what he saw, he turned into a yelling machine, but it almost always paid off.

“Don’t get me wrong, I want us to get along well and I will do my very best to give you time to get used to my methods. That’s what I ask from you, too. I am in a new environment, you have to get used to a new coaching staff and if we are patient with each other, I think we will get through the first few weeks easily. We have a common goal and I would be very glad if we could work towards that together, with everything we have. I’m sure we will succeed then, but only then.” Klopp continued in his spirited talk. Erik sensed that his teammates around him started to relax a little bit.

“We are employees of Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world and probably the one with the greatest and most glorious history. That tells you something about the expectations towards us. And our capabilities. But it also gives us a responsibility. There’s a certain attitude and working spirit the fans expect from us. Let’s not let them down! Let’s give our very best! When we do it, we will win most of the time. Of course, there will be a few matches where the opponent will be even better than us, but football isn’t only about results. If we give a good performance and lose, we can be satisfied with ourselves. If we win, but with a poor performance, we will work even harder to get better. That’s what I expect from you and you can be sure that I will give you the same: commitment and hard work. That’s all we need for success!”

His speech got faster and more passionate as he talked and by the time he finished, he was almost shouting, and Erik wanted to shout with him. Klopp had always been a great motivator and it was good to see that he hadn’t changed in this respect. He was already looking forward to working with his former mentor. He had learned everything he knew about football from Klopp, and later from Seb and he simply felt that this season would be great.

“You know most of us.” Klopp pointed at the rest of the backroom staff. “The only new face is Sebastian,” he turned to his assistant and Erik could imagine Seb rolling his eyes, “and I’d be glad if he could say a few words, too.”

Eric could almost see the electric jolts Seb sent towards his boss. But, he stood up unwillingly, nervously pulling down the hem of his shirt. When he turned around though, there was no sign of anxiety in his face. He looked at them with an impassive expression and for a moment, Erik saw him as if he hadn’t changed in the years the brunet had been away from Dortmund.

“Yeah, my name’s Seb Kruse, so if by any chance you’ll talk to me directly, please stick to Seb, okay? I’m a normal guy, I won’t shout at you and nothing of the sort. We’ll work together whether we like it or not. You might think that I’m too young for such a job, but I can’t say that I truly care about it. I know what I can do, and I’m sure that I can help you becoming better footballers. So, if you’ll give me a chance, you won’t regret it. Enough?” He turned to Klopp, showing everyone just how much he hated talks like this. The manager nodded, and no matter how hard Erik tried, he couldn’t guess what Klopp thought of Seb’s little speech. Maybe he was as stunned as the rest of the players.

“Great, it’s time for the medical tests, then!” Klopp clapped and everyone stood up at the same time, heading out of the room.

“Erik!” Rickie stepped next to the defender. “You have Kruse’s phone number, right?”

“Yes, why?” Erik raised his eyebrow.

“Just asking. Maybe one day I’d like to invite him for a party after all.” Rickie laughed.


	10. Another Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'd like to thank you for your support. It's great that you share your thoughts about my updates and please, keep doing that. It motivates me to write and I really hope that I can give you an interesting story you care about. If you have any ideas or hints you'd like to see, don't hesitate to share them with me, I'll try to think of a way to put them into the story. :-)

Marco couldn’t tell what happened to the world, but he was sure that something was out of order. They were on their way to Mario’s home and of the two of them it was Seb, the man who had always despised Mario as a football player, who was looking forward to the dinner they had been invited to more. The blond hadn’t been in the mood for another welcome dinner. He wanted to get started with their new life and the constant reminders that they were new ones in the city didn’t quite help them with that.

He had bought the training facility Seb had found for him the day after his boyfriend had told him about it. They had started with reparations immediately and thanks to a very keen group of workers and the bonus Marco had promised them if they finished the work on time, his academy was set to open in another two or three weeks. He wanted to care about those first steps in their new chapter rather than the friendly gestures they got from their friends. It was great to be felt welcome, but the ongoing visits from Klopp and especially Erik and Alex were getting annoying.

But, at the same time, Marco had to agree with his boyfriend. They needed to find their place in this new city and having old friends would help them in that a lot. Even if it was Mario. Marco wasn’t sure why he held grudges towards his once best friend. Mario had supported him when he had needed it the most and he had always treated him as Marco Reus and not a sensation in the world of football. It meant the world to Marco, but apparently, it wasn’t the same for Mario. After he had left Bayern and Germany, seeking new challenges, the two of them had drifted away and they had only met at Mario’s wedding where half of the German football had been invited anyways.

And now, Marco looked at the big house where Mario lived with his family with a lump in his throat. He wasn’t sure how Mario would welcome him and how much he had changed. Marco was up-to-date when it came to Mario’s career and performances, he still read football magazines and for their last half a year in Dortmund, Manchester United had been the main topic in their home with Seb getting ready for his new job. But, he had no idea about Mario’s personal side. He knew who Mario’s wife was and he had seen all three of their kids, but it was more or less all. He felt ashamed about how much they had lost contact.

“Aren’t you coming?” Seb asked from him and Marco realized that he was still sitting in the car while his boyfriend was looking questioningly at him from outside. Marco nodded hastily, unbuckled his seat belt and got out, closing the door.

“Is everything alright?” Seb asked more worriedly now, locking their new car.

“Yes, I was just thinking.” Marco said and he took Seb’s hand. It felt so natural to him again after the first incident. When they were walking on a crowded street, he was still afraid that someone would call out after them, but Seb was a strong rock by his side and as long as Marco was with him, he didn’t have to fear about being insulted.

“About what?” Seb inquired as they walked down the small path leading to the Götze home. They reached the doorbell and the raven-haired rang it before waiting for an answer from his boyfriend.

“Nothing.” Marco sighed, almost disappointed. He couldn’t be mad at Seb, but he wasn’t glad about being pushed into this dinner, either. Ever since they arrived, Seb had taken lead and they rarely made decisions together and Marco missed it. He knew that Seb meant well, but his boyfriend should have chosen better means to it.

“Seb! Marco!” Mario practically yelled, his voice echoing in the street. Marco hadn’t missed that Mario had welcomed Seb first, but he was too preoccupied with digesting the looks of his former teammate.

He remembered Mario as a young man, still half a boy, really. Now, a grown-up man stood in front of him. The face reminded him of Dortmund’s ‘golden boy’ and the player who had scored the most important goal in Germany’s glorious world cup, but the similarities didn’t go further than that. It was only Mario’s brown eyes that hadn’t changed and to Marco’s surprise, he relaxed because of that. Mario was still looking at him with the same fondness he had always felt for Marco when they had played together either at Dortmund or at the national team.

Marco let himself be pulled into the hall, because he wouldn’t have moved in his shock. “Is something wrong?” Mario asked him shyly when he noticed Marco’s staring.

“The beard.” The blonde said and Mario burst out in laughter. He ran his fingers over his cheeks, stroking the thick hair. “It’s because of Mary.” He explained, talking about his middle child and only daughter. “She loves it and is mad at me whenever I shave. So it stays up until the start of the season, that’s our agreement.”

Right then, the rest of Mario’s family joined them in the hall. Lily, his wife smiled at their guests and carried their youngest kid, Stephen in her arms. The other two kids measured them mistrustfully from behind their mother.

“Welcome, guys!” Lily smiled at them and stepped next to his husband, much to Fred’s and Mary’s discomfort. They stood side by side, not sure what to think of the two strangers standing in their home and to whom they were supposed to be nice. Stephen wasn’t that shaken because of their arrival, his eyes scanned them and he smiled at them with a toddler’s sweet smile.

“Fred, Mary, come and greet Marco and Seb!” Their father told them, but Seb just waved his hand.

“It’s okay, I get them. It’s not too pleasant to look at a face like Marco’s, right?” Seb joked with the kids as he crouched down next to them. A smile ran across Fred’s face and Mary started to giggle. Marco couldn’t stop being in awe about his boyfriend’s behavior.

Seb had changed ever since they had come to England. He was bursting with confidence and all in all, he was at ease with himself. Marco envied him and was happy for him at the same time. He wished he would find his place as easily as it was to Seb. His boyfriend always remained true to himself, but at the same time, he never had trouble adapting to new surroundings.

“They aren’t this comfortable around guests.” Lily noted when Fred stepped forward and greeted Seb with a shy hello.

“I hope that we’ll get along well, though. I need friends,” Seb smiled and turned to the kids, “I’m working with daddy, and I don’t want to be told off by his children when he complains about me.” He winked at said children. “Maybe this will help me to have a good start.” He reached into his pocket and got out two little boxes. Neither Fred nor Mary hesitated to accept their presents.

“Hey, I’ve told you no presents!” Mario reprimanded Seb, but the raven-haired only shrugged.

“See, he’s just jealous that he didn’t get anything.” He whispered to the kids standing happily in front of him and he stood up. “Marco and I know all the good manners, Mario. We can’t just come for a dinner with empty hands.” He got out three further boxes and handed them to their respective addresses, except for Stephen’s; his present ended up in Lily’s hand.

“That’s very kind of you, guys.” She smiled. “Come on in, dinner’s ready!” She turned around and started off towards the dining room. Fred and Mary ran forward, both preoccupied with opening their presents in the meantime.

“Okay, between Seb snapping at everyone and him being the perfect father material, what did I miss?” Mario fell behind with Marco, his mouth opened in wonder.

“I wish I knew!” Marco laughed. “He was really looking forward to this dinner and our whole life in England. But to be honest, his optimism and vitality is contagious, so I don’t mind it.” He said. “What did he get for you? He wouldn’t let me know it.”

Mario opened his box that contained a simple folded paper. The brunet looked at it bewildered, but Marco recognized right away what it was. It was a training guide, something similar to what Seb had written for him countless times whenever he wanted to focus on improving one of his abilities. When he explained it to Mario, the midfielder’s lips curled up in a white grin and he shook his head amused. Marco had no clue about what was going on, but he saw that his boyfriend had made Mario happy, giving him the biggest thing he had wished for, even if it was just a piece of paper with some of Seb’s awful scribbling on it.

They started eating after a compulsory round of handwashing for the kids. They ate with great appetite and soon, Marco relaxed and started to enjoy the evening. At first, he felt jealous of Mario. He now understood what Erik had meant when he had talked about how happy Mario was around his family. Marco had always hated Ann-Kathrin and had been glad for his friend when Mario had dumped her, but he hadn’t been quite sure if Lily had been the right choice for the brunet. Now, watching them living the dream of a perfectly balanced family, he was convinced that Mario had found the love of his life.

“Gosh, we haven’t talked in ages!” Mario sighed after they finished their meal and were sitting at the table sipping wine. Lily had put Stephen in bed and Fred and Mary were testing the new toys they had gotten from Marco and Seb. “What’s up with you, Marco?” Mario’s arm was resting on Lily’s shoulder and Seb had sat closer to the blonde. The four of them looked like good old friends, and nothing suggested that they hadn’t talked in years. Marco was the most surprised when he clicked with Mario again immediately and without effort. He felt the same understanding between them he had always felt when they had played together.

“I’m enjoying my retirement.” The blonde laughed. “I really needed it.”

“Do you have any plans while you are in Manchester?” Lily asked.

“Yes, in fact I created a foundation. I’m going to start a football academy for kids whose parents can’t afford to pay for the best coaching.” Marco explained with pride in his voice.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Mario cheered. “It’s a great idea! In fact, Fred wants to start playing football, so maybe we could–”

“Mario, no.” Marco stopped him. “I really appreciate it, I know that you mean good, but it’s a charity and that doesn’t mean that I need charity from others. I know that you want the best for your son and that’s how it should be. But, right now, I can’t tell you whether I will be any good at working with the kids.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve always been wonderful with Nico. You love him like you would love your own son, so don’t tell me that you have any doubts about dealing with the kids!” Mario snorted.

“Thanks.” Marco smiled. “But right now, I really want to start small. We’ll see what will come out of it. If it will work out, maybe I can make it bigger. I’m going to start searching for a coach next week. I need someone who can explain the theoretical things. I’m only good at the practical stuff.”

“Maybe we could tell Jerry about it?” Mario suggested.

“Jerry’s my brother.” Lily elaborated after a moment of silence and cluelessness from Marco and Seb. “And I don’t think that it’s a wise idea to palm him off on Marco. You know what he’s like.” She shot her husband a disapproving look.

“Yeah, he’s a bit strange sometimes, but look at Seb! Marco gets along with him rather well, I would say. No offense!” He added as he turned to his coach.

“Hey, I’m here!” Marco waved his hands. “You should stop before you arrange everything around my academy. I think I can manage it. Thanks for the suggestion though. If you give me his phone number, I can talk to him, see what he’s like.”

“And thank you for a delicious dinner!” Seb cut in. “It’s getting late and we should go now. We don’t want to trouble you for a lot longer.”

“Oh, please, you are not disturbing us!” Lily said.

“But Mario has an important training session tomorrow morning and I’m not always as nice as I was tonight.” Seb closed the argument.

“Thank you for coming, then.” Mario stood up. He knew that they had no chance against Seb. Once the raven-haired had decided something, he had to get his way. “I enjoyed meeting you. Maybe we could go hang out some time, Marco? I’ll ask Erik. You know the three old German footballers.”

“That would be nice.” Marco smiled. He had been wrong about this dinner. It felt so good to be welcomed in a foreign city. They were surrounded by friends and they should consider themselves lucky for that. They said goodbye to Mario’s children and then left.

“Okay, I have nothing against you being so nice to everyone, but could you please tell me what happened to you?” He asked from Seb the moment they got into their car. “You’ve changed completely. Talking with Mario’s kids and being the cool guy to them? It’s not the Seb I knew.”

“I’m practicing.” Was Seb’s short answer.

“Practicing?” Marco repeated baffled.

“We have agreed that we would adopt a child, haven’t we?” He turned to Marco and his face told the blonde that he didn’t see a reason for his bewilderment. It was one of the most annoying things about Seb: he didn’t need to sit down and talk through something countless times. He wanted to agree about everything right away and then he never forgot about how they had decided.

“Oh, maybe you should have told me that we are stepping up in that regard.” Marco said.

“Relax, I’m not saying that we must adopt a child right away. I just wanted to be nice to Mario.” Seb laughed.

“Nice? To Mario?” Marco understood less and less with every answer he got. “You two have never gotten along.”

“Yeah,” Seb drawled, “that has changed. He asked me today to help him find his form again and improve just a little bit for his last year. I see that he takes it seriously and he is very critical of himself. Just the kind of player I like, you know that.” He shot Marco a suggestive sidelong glance. They had spent hours doing drills because Marco had never been completely satisfied with his performances. “And at the same time, it helps me get my mind off the hardships of getting accepted in the club. I think it’s good for me.”

“Are there any problems?” Marco asked worriedly. “You should talk to Klopp about them.”

“It’s nothing serious, Marco.” Seb shook his head. “And nothing concrete. It’s usual and I expected it. A few weeks, and everyone and everything will settle down.”

But things weren’t about to settle down that evening. As they arrived at home, they saw a taxi standing in front of their house. They looked at each other bewildered. They weren’t expecting any visitors and had no idea about what was going on. Just as they stopped behind the cab, its door flew open and a figure got out of it. He started to walk towards their car. Marco and Seb recognized him when he walked past a street lamp.

“Nico, what are you doing here?” Marco cried out as he literally jumped out of the car.

“Good evening to you, too, uncle!” Nico snapped. “Where have _you_ been? I’ve been waiting for you for nearly an hour! You haven’t even picked up your phones!” He accused them. Seb joined his boyfriend and looked at the teenager with a not less perplexed face. He would have lied though if he had said that he wasn’t enjoying the situation. Seeing his boyfriend furious and Nico reprimanding him with a teenage boy’s stubbornness was more than amusing.

“Maybe because we changed our phone numbers when we moved to a different country!” Marco suggested shouting.

“Oh. I haven’t thought of that.” Nico realized his mistake. “Well, the important thing is that we met now, right?”

“Why aren’t you at home in Dortmund? And why are you here in Manchester of all places?” Marco insisted on getting his answer.

“What do you mean? You’ve agreed with Mom that I would stay with you for the summer.” Nico shrugged.

“Yes, but we haven’t agreed on _when_ you would arrive!” Marco snapped.

“You wanted to?” Nico asked after a moment of silence and Seb couldn’t keep it in anymore. He burst out laughing. The next moment it was his grunt that echoed in the street after Marco had elbowed him in the ribs.

“Yes!” Marco yelled.

“Sorry about that.” Nico said. “You’re not going to send me home, though?”

“No.” The blonde finally gave up. There was no point in arguing with Nico, especially because Nico didn’t see any problem in his showing up without any notice.

“Great.” The teenager nodded and walked back to the taxi. His upper body vanished in the car and he got out his two bags and turned towards the house. “Um, could you pay the guy? The bill went up while I was waiting for you and I’m kind of short of money.”


	11. Help Is Always Near

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am with a new chapter, I hope you will like it. :-)

If Nico needed any proof that he wasn’t a warmly welcome guest at his uncle’s new home, the cold atmosphere that welcomed him when he walked into the kitchen the next morning dispelled all his illusions. Marco was sitting at the small dining table and he was looking sternly at him, his arms crossed over his chest. Seb must have already left to work and Nico wasn’t very glad about it. He had hoped that at least he would take his side in an argument he knew that was inevitable.

“Good morning!” He said yawning. There was nothing hurtful or offensive in the way he said it, but Marco’s expression changed in a split second and Nico closed his eyes, steeling himself for the telling off of his life.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit late for calling this a morning?” Marco snapped and Nico glanced at the clock, opening only one of his eyes. It was barely ten o’clock. He actually did well waking up early, but he somehow suspected that Marco wouldn’t agree with him on that.

“Um, the time difference?” He asked shyly. He walked past his uncle and over to the fridge. He hadn’t had any problem feeling like at home in Dortmund when he visited Marco and Seb and he hoped that he would be as comfortable in Manchester, too.

“It’s one hour and it doesn’t speak in your favor!” Marco raised his voice. He still wasn’t shouting and Nico prayed that they could avoid it. He was tired and yelling was the last thing he needed. “It’s eleven in Dortmund.”

“Oh, that explains a lot of things.” Nico nodded and opened the fridge, getting out a jar of jam and some butter.

“It also gave me the time to talk to your mother. She said some very interesting things.” Marco drawled, giving Nico the chance to explain what he had done, but the teenager wasn’t going to take it. His uncle didn’t mind it, he continued on his own, then. “Apparently, you and I agreed that you would fly to us yesterday and that I’ve already found a job for you.” Marco sent him a cutting glance and Nico actually started to feel bad. It had been a necessary lie, but it was a lie nonetheless and he hadn’t liked that he had to get Marco involved in it. He could have talked to Seb, but he was pretty sure that his mother couldn’t have been persuaded by Marco’s long-time boyfriend.

“What did you tell her?” Nico gulped. He understood the seriousness of the situation very much and he knew that he could find himself sitting on an airplane flying back to Germany very soon.

“Nothing.” Marco shook his head. “I wanted to talk to you first.” He sighed and his features softened a bit. Nico was a bit relieved. Seb must have put in a good word for him before he left, otherwise Marco would have screamed his head off by now. “So could you tell me what you are doing here and why you have come here without any notice?”

“Um, where’s Seb?” Nico inquired after a moment of hesitation. He really wanted to have an ally for this conversation.

“Don’t try to get out of this!” Marco raised his voice again and he hit the tabletop with his hand. Nico was stunned by his uncle who changed completely for a quick moment.

“You don’t know what it’s like at home!” Nico finally gave in and started to share what had been troubling him for a long time. “Mom’s a dictator! She always tells me what to do, how to do it, she expects me to give her reports every time I go somewhere. I want to live my life, Uncle, and I wanted to show her that I can stand on my own feet.”

“By making me pay for your taxi?” Marco asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, that doesn’t really prove my point.” Nico admitted. “But, I’m almost grown-up and I want to have more liberty. I only get it when I’m with you and Seb.”

“But why haven’t you called me? We could have agreed–”

“Yes, or Mom and you could have come up with a dozen reasons why I shouldn’t come to England.” Nico finished the sentence for Marco, although he was sure that his uncle had something else on his mind.

“And what do you want to do here? I hope you aren’t planning to live off us and just enjoy your holiday.” Marco asked suddenly and Nico couldn’t hide his surprise. He had expected to be told off, but Marco was treating him– differently. He wasn’t feeling like a small child, his uncle considered him at least partly grown-up and he gave him a chance to explain his actions.

“No, I want to find a job.” Nico said determined and it was his time to surprise Marco. The blond looked back at him disbelievingly. “I’m serious. I want to earn some money and get a taste of adult life.”

“Sorry, but in your case, it’s hard to believe!” Marco burst out laughing and it hurt Nico a bit. His uncle must have noticed it, because he stopped and shot him an apologetic look.

“Why? Why is it so hard to accept that I’ve grown up?” Nico asked bewildered.

“One day you’ll understand it.” Marco sighed and Nico felt as if the case was closed and he spotted a very slight smile on his uncle’s face.

“So you’re not sending me back?” He asked just to be sure. Marco shook his head slowly and Nico wanted to run to him and hug him, but it wouldn’t have been very teenage-boyish. “And could you please help me find a job for the summer?”

“Not so fast, young man!” Marco raised his hand. “I’m new to the city, too. But I think that I have the right offer for you.” He grinned and Nico wasn’t sure if he should like it or not.

 

* * *

 

The building of Marco’s future football academy didn’t look like it had only a few weeks ago at all. The workers had done a great job and they only had to paint the rooms, prepare the football pitch and furnish the building. Marco thought he could deal with it alone, but Nico’s sudden appearance helped him a lot. He wasn’t going to let the teenage boy get away with it, despite Seb’s constant nagging during the night. If Nico wanted to be like a grown-up, Marco was going to show to him what it meant to be one and secretly, he hoped that Nico would realize that he should appreciate his current state of practically no responsibilities.

He was stunned when Nico had told him that he wanted to work and he had offered him the chance to help him out with setting up the football academy and maybe do the maintenance of the pitch. Marco didn’t need an expert for that for the first month or so and he didn’t know where he should look like, anyways. It was a win-win situation: Nico would get a freer job and Marco would get the opportunity to check what his nephew was doing. His talk with his sister in the morning hadn’t been as easy as he had let it seem to Nico. Yvonne had been furious why Marco hadn’t talked directly to her and why he had ‘chosen’ to communicate with her through Nico. But, Marco knew what Nico would get if he had told her the truth and despite Nico annoying him with his deeds, Marco didn’t think that he deserved to be told off or punished by his mother.

He might not have told it to Nico, but the teenager must have sensed it, because ever since they had arrived, he had been working diligently and without a word. They painted for hours and only stopped when a few more helping hands arrived after United’s training for the day ended.

“Hello everyone!” Seb walked into the room, with Erik and Alex in tow. Marco hadn’t really expected his friends to help him out, but he couldn’t decline their offer, either. “We’ve brought you something to eat.” He raised two paper bags and stepped next to Marco, giving him a quick peck.

“Great! I’m starving!” Nico sprung up, rubbing his hands against the old jeans Marco had given him. “Hi Erik and– Alex, right?” He greeted the newcomers and took one paper bag from Seb.

“Wow, Nico!” The defender said with widened eyes. “You’ve changed a lot! I had no idea that you would be here!”

“Until tomorrow evening, neither did we.” Marco grumbled but Seb’s scornful look silenced him immediately. His boyfriend jerked his head in the direction of the doorframe and they walked out hand in hand.

“You two are still on speaking terms?” Seb asked, keeping his voice down.

“Yes. I listened to your advice and heard him out. Apparently, he wants to work and prove everyone that he can be a big grown-up man.” Marco shook his head amused. He could not understand his nephew. When he had been seventeen, he had been living for football already, but his situation had been different. If he had been Nico, he would have enjoyed his teenage days for sure.

“He reminds me of myself.” Seb snickered. “I did worse things back then.”

“Things you still haven’t told me about.” Marco hinted.

“Oh, Marco, where would be the mystery in our relationship if we told every secret of our lives to each other?” Seb grinned as he wrapped his arm around the blond’s slim waist and pulled him in for another kiss.

“Something tells me that I don’t even want to know about those things, anyways.” Marco sighed, giving in to his boyfriend’s persuasiveness. “But back to Nico, he looks serious about this summer. He hasn’t said a bad word about working all day long. He is the perfect assistant.”

“Does that mean that I can ditch helping you out?” Seb asked teasingly. “Ouch!” He cried out after Marco pinched him.

“Don’t you dare, Sebastian Kruse!” He cried out, trying to sound as strict as possible, but his boyfriend still started to laugh, much to Marco’s further annoyance.

“You sound like Kloppo!” He managed to blurt out between two waves of laughter. “But don’t worry, I’m happy to help you. You are living for this dream and it’s so good to see you like this. Your optimism is back.” He said tenderly, showing Marco how much he had been concerned about him.

“Well, with Nico here to help me out, maybe I can open earlier than planned. We should be finished after a week.” Marco said proudly, but Seb didn’t react the way Marco had expected. He looked brought down. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll be in America, then.” He explained. “You know, the training camp.”

“Oh, I’ve forgotten about it completely!” Marco admitted. “I will wait for you, then. A few days doesn’t make a lot of a difference.”

“No, Marco. It’s your academy and you don’t have to wait for me at all. We can celebrate when I’m back to England.” Seb said, smiling. He had been so balanced ever since they arrived at Manchester and Marco was deeply grateful for this new side of his boyfriend. He knew how much he could thank to Seb, without him, this academy would still be a far dream and that’s why he wanted to open it together with him.

“Um, sorry to disturb you,” Erik’s voice brought them back to reality, “but I think that this room is a bit too little for five man to paint it. Alex and I could paint another one if you’d like to.”

“Right!” Marco said. He slipped out of Seb’s embrace and pointed down the corridor. “Second door on the left. It will be a storage room, I think you can finish painting it today.”

“Great.” Erik nodded and looked back at his fiancé. There was something strange about that look, but Marco couldn’t put his fingers on it and he wasn’t given much time to think, because Erik and Alex walked past them.

“I’ll join Nico!” Seb announced and gave Marco the second paper bag. “Could you give us a few minutes?” He asked, and Marco nodded. Seb left him on his own and Marco smiled under his breath. Seb had been right. The world wasn’t going to stop for him; it was always moving and he had to go on with his life, too. He started off towards the backyard and opened the bag in his hand. He wasn’t even surprised when he noticed that his boyfriend had bought his favorite.

 

* * *

 

Helping his uncle wasn’t Nico’s dream job, but he couldn’t complain, either. He hadn’t hesitated to accept Marco’s offer, because he knew that it was the simplest way to make Marco forget about his showing up without any notice. He wasn’t going to earn any money, at least not in the conventional way. With his helping, he would pay for his staying with Seb and Marco and at the end of the summer, Marco would give him some money he could take home. It was a fair offer as long as Nico was concerned.

“How are you doing?” Seb walked to him right after he finished his late lunch. He had been hungry like never before. He wasn’t used to working for hours straight and he was already grateful for Marco’s tactful decision. Maybe his mother had been right: he couldn’t work for eight hours every day.

“Fine, thanks.” Nico answered hastily. Seb was staring at him with that all-knowing look and he was feeling uncomfortable. “Um, and thanks for making Marco more patient with me. I know you asked him to listen to me.”

“You have nothing to thank me for. I only told him what I would do, after that, it was up to him to decide.” Seb waved away Nico’s gratitude.

“Still, he listens to you like to no one else. You know, it sounds crazy, but I think that your love is the best I’ve ever seen. Not even Mom and Dad are this harmonious. So whatever you do, you are doing it great.”

“Don’t ask me.” Seb laughed. “I don’t understand us either. We just stick together and we’ve dealt with a lot of shit together. It would be ridiculous to argue about trivial things now. And believe me, after what Marco has been through, everything seems trivial.” He said, and a heavy silence fell over the room. “Is everything alright, Nico?” Seb finally asked, his voice full of concern and something told Nico that Seb knew more than what he made Nico believe.

“What do you mean?” Nico asked back, trying to avoid this conversation.

“Proving that you can stand on your own feet is a very noble thing, but you could have done it in Dortmund, too.” Seb pointed out. “It isn’t a reason to leave home all of a sudden. So I suspect that there’s something else troubling you. Is there a problem? In your family or is it with your friends?”

“How do you know?” Nico gave in. He had learned that there was no point in arguing with Seb. Maybe, it would be great to share his worries with someone else.

“You are pretending to be a tough guy. When I did that, I did it because deep inside, I was hurt and unsure about myself.” Seb said.

“Do you remember the house party you took me to and how shitty I felt after it?” He started and Seb nodded. “Well, things haven’t changed ever since. In a way, they got worse. I can’t find my real place in the world, Seb. And I thought that maybe I could find it here. You know, I’ve been having this strange feeling as if I was born at the wrong place. I have nothing against Mom and Dad, but they don’t understand me. They care about me and they love me, I do the same, but they have planned a nice life for me, and I don’t like their ideas at all. I want to take my own path in life and I’m afraid that if I tell them about it, they won’t accept it.”

“Give yourself some time, Nico.” Seb said with understanding and patience. “You are seventeen, and what you are going through is normal. I wish you all the best and maybe you will find what you are looking for. Or maybe you will find out that you need something completely different. Just be open, okay? And if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks.” Nico nodded.

“Can I come in?” Marco knocked on the doorframe.

“Sure!” Seb smiled. “This room isn’t going to paint itself!”

 

* * *

 

Marco had no idea what Seb had told Nico, but he couldn’t miss the signs his nephew sent. He had sensed that Nico hadn’t told him the complete truth and he accepted that it was easier for him to talk to Seb, who wasn’t really a relative after all. He knew that Seb would talk to him and tell him how Nico felt, but for the time being, he was happy enjoying the harmonious atmosphere between them. Staying with Nico was like a big test for them before adoption. If they could survive a summer with a sometimes annoying teenage boy, Marco knew that they could raise a child without any problems.

They painted for three hours straight and when it was time to leave, Marco volunteered to tell Erik and Alex. They hadn’t seen the two of them the whole afternoon. Marco strode over to the future storage room and knocked on the closed door.

“Erik! Alex! We’re leaving!” He said and he reached for the door handle.

“Wait!” Erik sounded a bit out of breath. “I’m on the ladder right behind the door, don’t open it! We’ll finish in a minute.”

“Okay.” Marco said and stepped back, waiting for his friends to come out. When they did, Marco couldn’t withhold his laughter. Did they really think him so dense? “I can’t believe you two!” He shook his head amused.

“What do you mean?” Erik asked, looking clueless and scared at the same time.

“Where should I start? With Alex’ wrongly buttoned shirt or your open zippers?” Marco revealed their desperate attempts. “We’ll wait for you at the car.” He turned around, leaving behind a blushing Erik and a pale Alex.

And as he walked down the corridor, he really felt like at home.


	12. Business

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a more than exciting derby, here I am with a new chapter, I hope you will like it. Please, let me know what you think about it. :-)

America was sensational, everything and more than Seb had ever dreamed of. The fans were excited about seeing their favorite club. The team could hardly walk the short distance between the front door of their hotel and their bus to take them to their training because of the many people trying to get a photo or a signature. And yet, the most important thing to Seb was that none of that attention was directed at him. The fans cared mostly about the players and among the coaches, Kloppo was the big deal to them. In the meantime, Seb was left alone and he could do what he was the best at.

Every single minute of his waking hours was centered on football and he savored the training camp. He set up drills and exercises for the defense, he consulted with Klopp about them, he talked to the other coaches and he was enjoying himself. He had always wanted to make money while doing what he was passionate about and so far in his life, he had never failed to find a way to live by this rule. Not that he really cared about the money; he had no idea how he would ever spend all that he earned.

Klopp had kept his promises, too. He was giving Seb a free hand and the raven-haired was truly grateful for it. He never crossed the lines the head coach had set up, either and they had the promise of a very harmonious and prosperous working relationship. They got along very well and talked a lot during and after trainings, discussing what the team was already doing right and where further practice was needed.

The players learned to respect him, too. They saw him as a cool guy and chatted with him very often. Of course, Erik’s and Mario’s friendships helped a lot, but there were still a few players being distant to him, but Seb was okay with it. He didn’t want to please everyone because he knew it wasn’t possible. All in all, he was feeling better than ever and he couldn’t have imagined it any better.

And still, he couldn’t ignore the sour feeling he had day by day when he returned to his empty hotel room. He missed Marco. They were so close to each other that neither of them could imagine his life without the other one and even such a short time spent apart was almost unbearable – and Seb wasn’t the completely romantic type. They talked every day, telling each other what had happened, but it wasn’t it. Seb missed the tender caresses and the soft words whispered in the bed before falling asleep. They never talked loudly after they turned off the lights, even though they wouldn’t have disturbed anyone. Somehow, whispering felt right and it was natural to both of them. It wasn’t the physicality that Seb missed the most, it had never been that important to them. They were each other’s biggest support and when they weren’t together, it felt like someone had taken away a very big part of them.

“Good morning, coach!” Erik welcomed him with a wide smile in the hotel’s restaurant. The brunet was enjoying the training camp and working with Seb as much as Seb did, but they also shared the homesickness or rather lovesickness. “Do you have something special prepared for us today?”

“Don’t you want to know that!” Seb groused amused. “I want to have a clean sheet on our first pre-season game.”

“We will.” Erik reassured him. “Not that you would need a positive result to win the fans’ hearts.” He mused out loud.

“What do you mean?” Seb frowned.

“Haven’t you seen it?” Erik asked surprised, reaching into his pocket. “Wait!” He said, getting his phone out. Seb was about to scold him, because mobile phones weren’t allowed in during their meals, but the defender operated it extra-quickly and before Seb could open his mouth, he was staring at the display and a video of him being played on the phone.

He didn’t see anything special about it. It was a footage of him instructing the players during one of the training sessions. It must have been recorded by a fan and showed Seb running up and down between the somewhat scared defenders and instructing them vehemently. It wasn’t longer than a few seconds and when it was over, Seb looked up at Erik with a questioning look.

“What about it?” He shrugged.

“It’s gone viral on the Internet.” Erik said, smiling. Seb wasn’t that pleased by the unwanted spotlight. “Don’t look as if you have bitten into a lemon!” He laughed. “It’s a good thing. Many have criticized the team for the lack of passion at the end of last season, and they take your behavior as a good sign. Some would like to see you play, because based on that video, you must be able to stop an entire team on your own.”

“They know nothing.” Seb sighed, relaxed. “Me on the pitch would equal with a devastating defeat for us.”

“Don’t be that harsh on yourself, I’ve never seen you play football.” Erik chuckled.

“Believe me, you’re better off this way.” Seb said light-heartedly.

“Hey, why don’t you sit with us?” Erik suggested, jerking his way towards a table with his usual ‘clique’ waiting for him there.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Seb shook his head. “Don’t even try to persuade me otherwise.” He stopped Erik before the brunet could start objecting. “I appreciate your effort, but we can’t be friends at work. Between these walls, we are player and coach, okay? We should get used to it. It was the same with Marco and it worked for us.”

“I see.” Erik nodded, giving in. “But if you ever change your mind–”

“I won’t.” Seb smiled and started off towards the coaches’ table. It was only Klopp sitting there, the other always arrived late.

“You get along well with Erik.” The head coach noted instead of a greeting.

“Is that a problem?” Seb asked as he sat down.

“Not at all. You know that I don’t mind the staff having good relationships with the players. I just remembered that once I had to stop you from killing him in Dortmund. You’ve come a long way since then.” Klopp’s roaring laughter echoed through the room, drawing the attention of many players.

“Yeah.” Seb said dryly.

“I just don’t want your friendship to affect the performance of either of you. He’s your player, don’t forget that.” Klopp turned serious again.

“I’ll try not to.” Seb said, smiling inwardly. Klopp might have known him well, but he was far from knowing him perfectly. But then, Seb could still surprise his own boyfriend, too.

“And while we are at being professional…” Klopp drawled, stirring his morning coffee. “We are meeting the club owners tonight. And when I’m saying _we_ , I mean you and I.”

The roll stopped mid-way to Seb’s mouth in his hand. He wanted to be left out of the club’s business, he wanted to focus on how the team played and couldn’t care less about how much money they made in the meantime. Klopp had promised him to keep him out of it as much as possible and the look of the older man suggested that he was feeling bad about it, too.

“Look, I’m not excited about it, either, but we have to do it.” He explained. “We get over it and that’s it. What do you say?”

“You are the boss.” Seb sighed after a moment of consideration.

 

* * *

 

He spent the whole day uneasily and he was sitting anxious in the comfortable chair in one of the most elegant restaurants he had ever been too. His tailored suit felt suddenly too tight and his throat was dry no matter how much water he drank. He felt close to being intimidated. Klopp was looking as if he shared Seb’s feelings and they glanced at each other just now and then, completely lost in this new environment. The owners were being late of course and Seb was silently counting down the minutes when it would become not impolite to leave without waiting for them. He knew that that moment wouldn’t come, but he still hoped for it.

And just when he was about to ask Klopp whether they could go, the owners arrived. They looked exactly like what they were: businessmen through and through. They strode to their table with confidence, never taking their eyes off the two coaches, measuring them in advance to know what to expect. They had already talked with Klopp once, but Seb had only seen their representative when he had signed for United and now he was grateful for it. The Glazers didn’t look like nice folks at all and Seb could finally understand the fans’ aversion towards them.

“Good evening, gentlemen!” One of them greeted Klopp and Seb with a wide smile. “Sorry for making you wait for us, but running a business enterprise has its costs.” He didn’t even sound apologetic, he simply wanted to show off and make sure that they knew how important his job was.

“It’s okay.” Klopp reassured them. “As long as you pay for our expenses.” He tried to kill the tension off with a joke, but it just wasn’t going to work this evening.

“It’s only natural.” The older man nodded and they sat down. “How do you find our sweet home?”

“It’s extraordinary.” Klopp gave them the obligatory round of praise. “The fans are crazy and very devoted. I can’t wait until our first match in front of the public.”

“Tomorrow it is, right?” He asked. “I hope everything is ready. We are planning to watch the game. I hope you will give us a good spectacle, something worthy the name of Jurgen Klopp.”

“We’ll do our very best.” Klopp said. It was obvious that he wasn’t enjoying the situation. “But, you must understand that big changes cannot be made within a day. It needs–”

“Sure.” A younger Glazer sighed exhausted. He didn’t try to hide that he wasn’t interested in excuses and explanations. “You are rather quiet, wouldn’t you agree, Mr.– Kruse, right? I admit that unfortunately I don’t know much about you. Why don’t you take this opportunity and let us know you better?”

Seb forced a weak smile and noticed Klopp’s cutting glance that asked him to be nice to their bosses. Seb didn’t give him much to base his hopes on. “Of course you don’t know a lot about me. A google search must be too demanding to fit in your busy schedule.” He noted dryly and if there were some owners of the club who hadn’t been paying attention so far, their heads jerked up and looked horrified at the young punk Seb must have been in their eyes. “What exactly are you interested in?”

“Maybe you could start with telling me why Mr. Klopp was very adamant to get you as his assistant.” The young Glazer spoke with the aggression of a hurt animal.

“Maybe you would like to ask him.” Seb noted. He wasn’t going to give in and back down. He expected and demanded respect the same way anyone in the footballing world.

“I can reassure you that Sebastian is a more than fine professional. With time, I’m sure that he can convince you with his contribution to the team’s success.” Klopp spoke up, trying to salvage what was left for him to save after Seb’s rather crude introduction.

“Is that so?” The young Glazer frowned, holding Seb’s gaze.

“Your English is quite admirable, Mr. Kruse, I must give you that.” The head of the family and the business took over again. “Maybe we could use it somehow. We’ve been searching for ways to give better insight into the background of running a football team in the sporting terms. Maybe a few interviews with you would entertain the fans. And, of course, I can’t rule out the possibility of commercials. We only have to make sure that you are more– um, presentable.” He thought out loud.

“Absolutely not!” Seb cried out and there was a strange flicker in his boss’s eyes telling him that the old man wasn’t used to being refused.

“Pardon me?” He gasped.

“Mr. Kruse, do you realize that you are talking to your employers?” The young Glazer came to his father’s help.

“And that I could easily become your _former_ employee if I don’t change my attitude towards you? Yes, I’m aware of that.” Seb said calmly. The air froze for a second and then, the old Glazer’s laughter broke the silence.

“I’m starting to love you, young man!” He panted for air. “You are truly a personality. Hard to break and hard to tame. I appreciate these qualities in a man. Are you sure that you don’t want to get involved in the business world instead? You could make a fortune, I’m sure about it.”

“I’ll stick with football.” Seb answered. “I’ll leave business to those with more experience. And, I can always ask for a pay raise when short of money.” He added, which earned him another laughter from the Glazers. Klopp relaxed, too, but Seb was sure that he would still get a telling off from his head coach. He had been taking a risk that could have easily backfired on him, but Seb knew instinctively when it was the right time to take that risk and he always thought that it was something he needed to know in his profession.

The dinner got better after their short altercation. They had a pleasant meal and drank the most delicious wine. They still didn’t talk like friends, but they didn’t sound like enemies, either. Seb was sure that they would finish their meeting soon enough when another bomb exploded.

“And how is Mr. Reus doing?” The young Glazer raised the only topic that Seb would have liked to keep taboo. The raven-haired wanted his bosses to know that, too, and he answered with a fiery glance. He felt that he was enjoying Klopp’s support on this one.

“Good, as long as I know.” He practically spat the words, putting into them all the venom he could find in his body.

“Your relationship is quite extraordinary. You’ve been through a lot and I must say that it amazes me.” He continued. Seb heard him out without a word. “In fact, I’m not the only one who noticed it. A few organizations have contacted us. They all agree that your story could propagate issues that could help the LGBT community.”

“Listen to me carefully!” Seb burst out, almost knocking the table over. “I’m going to tell you this only once. I’m not your puppet, and neither is Marco. We won’t let our relationship be your toy that gets you more money or a more favorable public image. I will keep my private life to myself and you are not going to change my opinion on that. If you want to support gay right movements, do it, but do it on your own.” He ranted, silencing everyone at the table again. “And now, I have a match tomorrow to prepare for.” He said and turned around, storming out of the restaurant.

He didn’t look back, because he was sure that if he saw the ugly face of that bastard again, he would punch him. His heart was beating like a racehorse’s and anger was boiling his blood. He had been prepared for such a situation, but he hadn’t expected that it would affect him so much. He had wanted to keep his calm, because he knew that he would have to deal with much harder moments later. But then, how much harder could it get? Before accepting Klopp’s offer, he considered this option, too. He had always thought that he would get away with half of all the shit Marco had had to cope with. Now, he wasn’t that sure anymore.

“Is everything alright?” Klopp stepped next to him, keeping his voice calm and full of concern.

“Yes.” Seb nodded. “I’m sorry about my behavior back there. I wasn’t the role model for a good and obedient assistant manager.”

“They weren’t role models, either.” Klopp shrugged. “I’m just happy that we have it behind us. I promise you that you won’t have to face another dinner with them, okay? Now, let’s go. We should get our rest before the game tomorrow, too.”

The hotel was quiet, with all the players relaxing in their rooms. Seb walked down the deserted corridors towards his room. It had never felt so empty since they had landed in the States. He closed the door behind himself and stood leaning against it for a minute. He was exhausted and he wanted to go to bed immediately. He wanted to forget about the dinner and get rid of the dark thoughts occupying his mind right now. He didn’t want to think about tomorrow or the days after that and the hardships they would bring.

He sighed and took off his clothes, not caring enough to fold them. He lay down on his bed and got his phone. He knew that it was the middle of the night in England, but he had to talk to Marco. He had to ease his mind and his boyfriend could help him with that. The days when he would have hid this bad experience from Marco because he thought him to be too fragile and weak to carry the weight of Seb’s problems, too, were gone.

He dialed the number he knew by heart and waited until the most wonderful human being in the world would answer his call.

“Hey.” He smiled when he heard the soft click signaling to him that Marco had picked up his phone.

“Hello, babe.” Marco tried to sound normal and cheerful, but Seb had no problem seeing through this disguise. His boyfriend wasn’t feeling well and his trembling voice gave him away: Marco had been crying.


	13. Nobody Came

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out to be a lot different than I planned, because it took its own course and ended in a more or less philosophical part. I'm curious what you think of it, so please share your opinion with me and if you agree with the boys or not. :-)

_The moment Jerry entered Marco’s new office, the blond understood why Mario’s wife had tried to talk him out of considering hiring him. And, he also understood immediately why Mario had thought that they could work well together. As Marco looked at him, he felt as if he was watching a younger reincarnation of his boyfriend. There was the same passion burning in Jerry’s eyes and Marco saw the same seeming boredom on his face that was so typical of Seb. He knew though that it easily deceived anyone only casually scanning its owners. He was already convinced that Jerry was passionate about something and that he did his very best when he was engaged in it._

_But, Jerry had most probably got the job already for different reasons, too. Marco had agreed with Nico that the teenager would work for him for the summer, and the blond had found a local teenage girl, Judy who would work part-time, tending to the children’s kits. He was still missing a good coach, an educator though. He had published an advertisement in many different newspapers and he had posted it in the frequented places in the city. He had invited the applicants to a meeting today, but when he checked the waiting room, he saw only one man standing there._

_It brought him down a bit, but he also resigned himself to the fact that he wasn’t going to have an easy time starting an academy, especially when it was maintained from his money only. Many coaches must have known that charity didn’t pay well and it had to be discouraging to them. And, Marco would choose a passionate person over a more qualified one._

_“Good morning, Jerry! Please, sit down.” He greeted Mario’s brother-in-law._

_“Thanks.” Jerry nodded and walked to the table. He slumped down on the chair exactly like Seb would have done. Marco was having a_ _déjà vu feeling and he was actually grateful that Seb was in the United States. He wasn’t sure how the raven-hair would welcome competition. He had changed a lot, but when it came to protecting Marco and making sure that everyone knew that the blond was his, he was still the same. Not that he really had to fear because of Jerry._

_“Could you please tell me why did you apply for this job?” Marco started the formal part of their conversation. The words sounded so weird from his mouth. He had had to look up a few interview questions the night before to feel comfortable with this role. He had only recently realized what he had gotten himself into. He would have to learn a lot of new things and acquire new skills, he was up for the challenge though._

_“Because I’m unemployed and Lily told me that you could use my help.” Jerry grunted. He was different than Seb after all. His boyfriend would never admit such a thought that openly, Marco realized as he looked at the young man with a dropped jaw. No, Seb would have been satisfied with knowing how important he was for someone else, he wouldn’t need to utter it._

_“I see. You are very– honest.” Marco mused out loud. Or rude, I still have to figure that out, he added in himself. “I’ve read your CV and I am a bit concerned by your work experience. You haven’t stayed at any of your former employees for a long time.”_

_“Most schools don’t want a PE teacher who treats the kids with respect and as young human beings. They expect you to teach the children discipline and an appreciation for physical work and sweat. I couldn’t give them that.” Jerry shrugged. There was something about his character that drew Marco in. He wanted to know more about him, and it was a different vibe than in Seb’s case. Seb had been mysterious; Jerry was someone Marco couldn’t understand completely, even though he had been given all the necessary clues._

_“Could you explain it to me, please?” He frowned after he decided that he was unable to solve the puzzle Jerry was. The other one sighed almost offended that he would have to talk again, but he started his explanation without complaining._

_“I want the kids to love sports and exercise. You can force them to do it, but the only thing you achieve is a class that despises physical activity and will stop doing it the first moment they get the chance.”_

_“I see.” Marco nodded, satisfied. They were on the same page on that and maybe Jerry was the right man for his academy. “How would you implement this philosophy here?”_

_“It depends on how old the kids will be.” Jerry mused for a moment. “I think that for the youngest lads, getting a feel for football is much more important than learning all the right moves and the theory. There’s plenty of time for that later. They must get ready for sacrificing a lot if they want to be professional and they also have to learn to share the success and play in a team. Once they understand these principles, we can move towards the technical stuff.”_

_“When can you start?” Marco blurted out without thinking about it. He knew that he wouldn’t find another man who would agree with him so much._

_“As I’ve said, I’m currently unemployed.” Jerry smiled._

_“Not anymore.” Marco returned his smile and they shook hands to seal their agreement._

 

* * *

 

_Everything was set for a bright start and Marco thought that he was right to look forward to the opening day. They had printed hundreds of flyers and dozens of posters they had distributed in this part of the city. Marco wanted to start small. Once he would see how things were going, he could start thinking about growing and investing. But first, he needed to get a sense of the interest for such a project._

_The day his academy would open its gates to the more unfortunate children, he woke up full of energy despite sleeping almost nothing the whole night. He had been too excited to be able to stop thinking, his brain working on at least two hundred percent. He envisioned everything, how he would greet the parents, leaving a good first impression. He went over the list of possible activities for the kids for their first day, trying to decide what the right attitude was towards them. He had one chance and he didn’t want to screw it up._

_He drove with Nico to the academy and they picked up Judy on their way. The two teenagers didn’t look very excited about the start of real work for them, but Marco didn’t really notice it. Nothing could bring him down, or at least he thought so._

_He should have thought twice. As the day progressed, he became more and more desperate. There were no parents to greet and no kids to pat their shoulders. Marco had been convinced that his idea was brilliant, but the reality was that the locals couldn’t care less about it. The building remained empty except for the four members of the staff. And even they didn’t stay long._

_“Hey, Uncle! Since there’s not much to do, Judy and I thought that maybe we could finish earlier today. Is that a problem?” Nico opened the door to Marco’s and Jerry’s office and he entered with just one foot._

_“Just go.” Marco answered without understanding what Nico had said. He was devastated and couldn’t pay attention to anything else apart from his dark thoughts._

_“I’ll call a taxi, so don’t worry about me getting home.” Nico added before he left, although Marco hadn’t asked him about it. The door was closed again and the two adults were left in a compassionate silence._

_“He doesn’t feel your pain, does he?” Jerry noted after some time._

_“Huh?” Marco jerked his head up. He didn’t understand what the other one was trying to say._

_“Nico.” Jerry elaborated. “He doesn’t see how disappointed you are.”_

_“Oh, he doesn’t really have to care about it. It’s my problem, not his.” Marco shrugged, although his heart was aching._

_“So you are not trying to deny that you feel bad?” Jerry asked._

_“I just don’t understand it!” Marco cried out, the need to share his pain with someone overwhelming him. “It’s a good idea, I know it! There are a lot of families who can’t afford to pay for such a pastime activity for their kids. I haven’t expected them to line up in front of my office and beg for admittance of their children, but this is underwhelming! What did I do wrong?” He asked in despair, waiting for an answer from Jerry._

_“Nothing.” He shrugged. “You are right, it is a good idea and some parents should seize the opportunity.”_

_“Then why don’t they?” Marco shook his head, clueless._

_“Well, I don’t want to say it harshly…” Jerry sat up straight in his chair and Marco looked at him with hopeful eyes. Maybe he had the answer after all and they could correct whatever he had missed. “But you are gay.” His words were met with a heavy silence that must have lasted a lot shorter than what it felt like._

_“Yes, so what?” Marco frowned, not understanding Jerry’s point._

_“I know it’s stupid and couldn’t be further from the truth, but some parents, especially the more limited ones, still think that this is one of the worst things that could happen to a person. And in their opinion, letting you spend time with their kids is a big risk. For one part, they are afraid that their kids could learn ‘your ways’, and for the other, well–” He drawled, his hesitation telling Marco what he didn’t need to hear right now._

_“But that’s ridiculous!” He gasped. He had thought that he had put behind his struggle for acceptance and it had felt so for the past years. He hadn’t expected to hit another barrier again and most certainly not in this context. “I– I thought that people saw further than that now.”_

_“Most of the people do. But not everyone. I’m sorry about it, Marco.” He said, sympathizing with the blond whose world had just been shattered._

_“Isn’t there anything we could do?” He asked in a trembling voice._

_“I don’t think so.” Jerry sighed regretfully. “You only need one or two children, Marco. Once they see that there’s nothing to worry about, the news will spread like wildfire and parents will bring their kids. Don’t worry.”_

 

* * *

 

Seb listened to Marco’s retelling of what happened without interrupting the blond. His boyfriend had started crying again as he recalled the unpleasant memory. His own problems already forgotten, Seb felt the anger rising in his body– and he felt powerless. He knew that this was the time when he really needed to be by Marco’s side and console his love. He would know what to do and he could stop him from going down a slope into depression. He couldn’t trust anyone with it; no one knew Marco better than he did.

After Marco finished talking, Seb listened to the blond’s sobs from the other end of the line. It was heartbreaking to hear Marco. Seb’s throat clenched and he felt a sudden urge to pack his things and head towards the closest airport, to fly back to England and embrace his boyfriend. But, he had his own responsibilities.

“It will get better, Marco.” He said softly after giving the blond enough time to compose himself.

“Yes, I know.” Marco agreed. “But it hurts so much! Why can’t people mind their own business? My personal life should be none of their concern and shouldn’t affect what they think of me.”

“I know, babe.” Seb said. It was hard to find a point where Marco was wrong. “But Jerry is right: you cannot change people. You should focus on not letting them change you. This academy is a wonderful project, Marco. It will work out, I can feel it in my guts. You can’t stop living your dream, do you hear me? Don’t even think about giving up right away!” He raised his voice, trying to fill Marco with new strength even from the big distance.

“I won’t, Seb.” Marco reassured him. “I’ve put too much effort into it already to back down at the first obstacle.”

“That’s my boyfriend!” Seb smiled. “I’m proud of you, Marco.”

“Thank you. This is what I needed to hear. I’m already feeling better.” The blond’s voice didn’t tremble any more.

“How’s Nico doing? You two get along well, right?” Seb asked. Nico had become someone like their kid in the past days and whenever they talked, Seb had to inquire about him.

“He’s fine.” Marco sighed. “My failure didn’t shake him. I have the feeling that he hasn’t even noticed it.”

“Hey, I think we’ve agreed that you didn’t fail anything or anyone!” Seb snapped. “It’s a setback if anything. It will only turn into a failure if you give up.”

“Okay, sorry, I get it.” Marco chuckled. His laughter warmed Seb’s heart, because it was the first sign that the blond had indeed understood what he was trying to tell him. “And how was your day?”

“Exhausting.” Seb said. He had decided that he wouldn’t complain to Marco, because compared to his boyfriend’s problems, his day had been wonderful. “Just imagine me having a dinner with the club owners.”

“How did it go?” Marco asked. He sounded full of curiosity, his own problems put aside; he was now focusing on his boyfriend, just like Seb had done moments ago.

“Surprisingly well, not counting a few dubious scenes.” Seb said mysteriously.

“What did they do?” Marco asked. Seb still couldn’t quite accept that in the past ten years, what did _you_ do turned into what did _they_ do, showing the trust Marco put into him. They had changed a lot and shaped each other mutually. Marco had become a stronger person and Seb had simply grown up. He now took responsibility easily and understood the expectations he had to meet in his various roles.

“One of them suggested that I’d play in a few commercials and make appearances and talk shows to put good light on the club.” Seb started.

“Right, like you could ever do that!” Marco laughed.

“Thank you for your deep trust in me.” Seb noted sarcastically, earning a louder laughter from Marco.

“No offense, but I can’t imagine you putting a good face on.” Marco apologized.

“We agree on that one.” Seb said hastily. He wasn’t quite done with sharing his experiences from his dinner with Marco. “The other Glazer suggested that you and I become the spokesperson for some gay right movements.” He added, the atmosphere in both his and Marco’s room freezing immediately.

“What did you say to that?” Marco asked, his voice sounding horrified.

“What do you think I said? I’ve told them off in my own tactful way.” Seb snorted.

“You still have your job, right?” Marco asked warily.

“Yes.” Seb couldn’t help but laugh. Sometimes, Marco could still show him that he didn’t always approve of his approach to solving some problems. “But I won’t let us be their puppets. I want to live my life with you, untroubled and undisturbed.”

“But what if trouble finds us?” Marco mused and it caught Seb by surprise.

“What do you mean?” Seb frowned.

“I don’t know…” Marco sighed. “But since this afternoon, I’ve been thinking that maybe I could have made a bigger difference. You know, I was the first big name to come out. Maybe I should have taken bigger responsibility. I could have started things, a change. Maybe I should have talked about problems gay people still have to face. Then, we might not have to deal with such hate today.”

“That role would have crushed you.” Seb noted dryly.

“You can’t know that!” Marco snapped and when he realized his outburst, he repeated it in a much lower voice. “You can’t know that. Looking back, I think I could have done more. You could have given me the strength I would have needed.”

“Would have’s, Marco.” Seb said calmly. “You did what you could do. We had other priorities. We wanted to live a more or less normal life.”

“Yes, but don’t you doubt our decision sometimes? Don’t you think that we just hid from real world and built walls around us, painting it in all happy colors, ignoring the injustice and whatever didn’t please us?”

“No.” Seb said very firmly. “We dealt with a lot of shit and we will probably have to all our lives, still. But we weren’t strong enough to take on the whole world. Maybe one day, there will be someone who can do that. I hope so. But, we decided to focus on ourselves and I most certainly don’t regret that decision. We have lived a happy life so far, despite all the hardships, don’t you think?”

“I do, but–” Marco hastened to say, but Seb was faster.

“We can’t take responsibility for others’ lives, Marco. We did and do what we can. We don’t make compromises, we speak up for ourselves and I think the example we show is much more valuable than any speeches we could have given or rallies we could have organized.” Seb explained. He was too tired to talk about such serious topics.

“And what message do you think we send to others?” Marco asked skeptically.

“That of love.” Seb said. His voice was raw but he heard that he had taken aback his boyfriend. “Our love for each other has always been the most important for us, Marco. If you ask me, it’s not a bad principle to live by.”

“Yes, I can live with that.” Marco nodded. “I’m sorry I brought it up, but I’ve been thinking about it all day long and I needed to share it with someone.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, babe.” Seb said tenderly. “Will you watch our game tomorrow?”

“Are you serious?” Marco laughed. “Mario’s wife called me over.”

“And you’re going?”

“How did you say it?” Marco drawled. “We need practice with kids.”

“Good.” Seb snickered. “I’d better not shame you, then.”

“You could never do that.”


	14. Victories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time writing this next chapter after the last Dortmund game and so I decided for an update with a more positive message and atmosphere. I hope you will like it, please, let me know what you think of it. :-)

Seb had been pretty sure that he had known how obsession with football looked like. Ever since he had gone to see his first football match in the Westfalenstadion, most of his waking hours had been spent with educating himself about tactics, learning to spot great talents and analyzing games. But, as he walked towards the bench and looked at the stands filled with people, he had to reconsider his opinion. He was used to stadiums full of fans; it wasn’t news to him. But, he had always thought that the Americans were better at building venues and standing in the middle of one of their stadiums reassured him about the truth in his viewpoint. There was so much space and the massive structure seating tens of thousands of football fans blew his mind.

The biggest difference though wasn’t in his surroundings, it was in how he felt about the upcoming match. It was different because his position within a club had changed. They had talked through their options with Klopp the day before and for the first time in his life, Seb felt like it was also his team that walked on the green grass to take on one of the local clubs. His work had been important at Dortmund and the other coaches had made sure that he had known that his help had been appreciated, but being an assistant was something else. Providing the solutions for the team’s problems wasn’t a bonus anymore; it was his duty and Seb had always relished such challenges.

He sat down on their bench knowing that most of the cameras were focused on the players and coaches of the big club that had come to visit the New World for the umpteenth year in succession. This time, the attention hadn’t troubled Seb the least. Because the same technology that was watching each of their movements made it possible that his boyfriend saw him in real-time miles away, with an entire ocean between them. This was a very important moment in Seb’s life and career and he wanted to share it with Marco. He couldn’t even have thought about not sharing it with his boyfriend.

The rush he had felt from the approaching football match vanished within a second when the referee blew his whistle. The moment the ball started rolling and the crowd cheered in unison, Seb focused on the game unfolding in front of him. They hadn’t agreed on the exact rules with Klopp about how far Seb could go, but he was sure that his boss – although he hadn’t thought of Klopp in this way – expected him to share his opinion with him. The defense was also in his competence for the time being and with Erik playing on the side nearer to the bench, Seb was sure that he would give some instructions directly.

They started the match on a high, but it was expected. They might have been early in the preparations for next season and they had barely started to implement a new playing style, but despite the huge evolution of football in America, the local side was still too weak to cause a lot of problem to a club of Manchester United’s stature. They saw most of the ball and the high defensive line stopped any counter-attacks early, keeping the play mostly on the opponent’s half. Seb leaned back in his very comfortable seat, gradually sliding lower and lower into a position that surely wasn’t going to do any good to his back and it couldn’t be considered professional, either, but there were some things that his bosses wouldn’t get, no matter how much they would ask him to change.

But probably the biggest source of enjoyment for Seb wasn’t the game itself, but the frustration of Walker sitting next to him. They still didn’t get on well with the attacking coordinator, and one could call them enemies. The older coach still hadn’t gotten over the fact that despite Seb being just a bit more than half his age, Seb was in a higher position and his direct superior. Seb had sensed immediately that Walker wouldn’t accept his position, no matter what and so he had given up all hope to change the other coach’s opinion on him. It might have been another unprofessional thing to do, but Seb almost had to laugh when Walker fumed after another missed chance for United. Especially, since the solution was so obvious.

“Jürgen, we should let the wingers switch flanks.” Seb noted lightheartedly when the manager walked to the bench for a sip of water. The early afternoon sun was burning the ground and they were all sweating.

“Are you mad?!” Walker snapped, with the hurt feeling of an expert who had felt his position threatened by a young rascal. “So in your opinion, we should play with a left-footed player on the right flank and vice versa?”

“Exactly.” Seb nodded, without casting a glance at his colleague. He was inspecting Klopp’s reaction, because that was so much more important for him. The coach nodded and when he walked back to the sidelines, he communicated his decision with his team with a hand gesture. Switch sides.

For a few minutes, the players were finding it hard to get used to their new positions and the new expectations, but they got comfortable and learned to cut inside very soon, creating chance after chance until finally, the deadlock was broken with a magnificent individual effort. The bench jumped up to celebrate, Walker obviously forgetting about his objection towards Seb’s and Klopp’s plan that had ultimately brought them their first goal.

Seb remained sitting, just like he always did when they scored. He was celebrating once the match was over and not a moment earlier. He didn’t make a sarcastic comment when Walker returned next to him; it was childish and he was smarter than that. But when the other coach started to boast about the player’s performance and how great he was with his weaker foot, Seb cleared his throat. It was an innocent little message that still found its addressee. Most importantly, it also silenced Walker. This day was getting better and better.

 

* * *

 

“Won’t they let Papa play?” Mary asked.

Marco had learned very early that Mario’s only daughter was the most passionate about her father. Fred might have been the one wearing his Manchester United jersey, but for him, the team’s success was the most important. There were only thirty minutes left from the game that United were still controlling without toil. If anything, with each scored goal – and they had five of them by now – they got more comfortable in their role of the favorite.

“I don’t know, Mary.” Lily sighed. It was obvious to Marco that she couldn’t care less about football. Her interest went as far as she needed it to be able to support her husband and she did it very diligently.

“Marco!” Mary now turned to the blond. “Can’t you call Seb and tell him to send Papa on the pitch very soon? I’m getting tired and I’m afraid that I will fall asleep before he gets to play.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible, Mary.” Marco laughed. “There are times when even I can’t talk Seb into something. But look, Mario’s just starting his warming up!” He pointed at the screen and the picture there made both Fred and Mary cry out excitedly.

“They are crazy about their father.” Lily shook her head apologetically.

“It’s okay.” Marco waved. “They have all right to be. You know, I haven’t told this to you, but during our dinner here, I couldn’t stop being surprised at how much Mario had changed. He’s happier than ever and it’s obvious that he loves you and the kids.” Marco said politely and Lily blushed at his comment.

“Look, Mama!” Mary tugged at the hem of her shirt.

“Yes, I see, darling.” Lily smiled as Mario waited on the sidelines for the substitution to be announced. It happened in seconds and as he walked on the pitch, instead of getting excited the way her kids did, Lily tensed up and it took Marco a minute to realize the reason behind it.

“Don’t worry, he won’t get injured.” He said, careful to keep his voice down. Fred had reprimanded them when he couldn’t hear the TV because of their conversation even when Mario wasn’t playing, but now, both Götze kids were staring at the screen without blinking and Marco couldn’t imagine what he would get for disturbing their enjoyment of the match and their father’s play.

“I thought that I would get used to the risk, but it never happened.” Lily snickered.

“That’s only normal.” Marco reassured her. Whenever he got injured during a football match, his biggest concern wasn’t the severity of his injury, but Seb’s reaction. The raven-haired had always looked ready to jump at the opposition’s player who had hurt his boyfriend.

“I’m not sure why he is still playing.” Lily continued. “He didn’t have a good season last year, I thought that he would finally say that it was enough.”

“Trust me, it’s not that easy to stop.” Marco stood up for his friend. “I know that it is hard to understand or to relate to, but football is a huge part of our lives. Asking Mario to stop playing football is something like asking him to stop being a father. He can’t imagine his life without football.”

“Yes, I’m already steeling myself for his grumbling once he retires.” Lily laughed.

“It won’t be that bad. He has other things to live for. His family, for example.” Marco chatted, but his attention was turned to the match again when the children started to shout. This time, though, it wasn’t because of a Manchester chance. On the contrary, it was the American club that scored, much to the kids’ displeasure.

The United defense couldn’t deal with a corner and their opponents had a relatively easy time scoring. It was a stupid mistake in the last minutes of the game and Marco could imagine the frustration Seb must have felt. His boyfriend tended to take things personally and since he was in charge of the defense, Marco was pretty sure that Seb was annoyed a lot right now. The broadcast cut to the Manchester bench, showing the coaches’ reaction. Most of them weren’t moved a lot, they were still winning easily, but Marco couldn’t miss Seb rolling his eyes and then his face palm showed what he really thought of the situation. It didn’t miss Fred’s attention, either and he started to laugh.

“Seb is a cool guy!”

“Yes, he is.” Marco said, but it wasn’t amusement in his voice.

He was proud. It was his boyfriend sitting on Manchester United’s bench and it was Seb who had to make sure that the players wouldn’t make such a mistake again. It was an elevating feeling and better than whatever Marco had ever felt during his career.

 

* * *

 

His joy only got bigger when Seb called him in the evening. His boyfriend tried to remain professional, but even he couldn’t hide his excitement completely. Not that he had to. Marco couldn’t see a single reason why Seb shouldn’t have felt proud and pleased. But no matter how big Seb’s happiness was, he didn’t forget to ask Marco about his day and how he had dealt with another day with no one coming to his academy. Marco wanted to keep it look simple, something that didn’t affect him a lot, but reality was different and he faced it again the next morning.

He woke up with zero lust for life. He didn’t want to go to work. The new life he had envisioned for himself, the days spent doing what he liked the most were gone and Marco’s plan backfired, turning his life into a continuous struggle. He still couldn’t give up. He had promised it to Seb and to himself, too. He knew that if he was persistent, he would reach the success he was aiming for and he knew that Jerry’s words were true: they needed one kid and Marco couldn’t be sure when he would arrive.

It wasn’t this day, that much Marco knew after a few hours. They all went to the academy and sat there until noon. Nico and Judy left for lunch and forgot to return, but Marco didn’t mind that at all. They were young and were supposed to enjoy life and they could hardly do it sitting around in an almost empty building. Jerry seemed to be emphasizing with him, but in the afternoon, he asked Marco to let him leave earlier. The blond agreed with a sour taste in his mouth. He had felt alone in his life a lot of times, but now it was a different kind of loneliness. He was surrounded with people, but all of them let him down.

He scanned over his office and his eyes stopped on the object that had never caused him any anger: a football. He stood up and walked out on the pitch. He was unsure at first, he hadn’t played with a ball for a long time, but after the first touches, he got comfortable, his rich experience reactivated. He shot on goal for a few minutes and then he started to do tricks. He felt great, and for the first time since he had opened the academy, he could clear his head. The world didn’t matter anymore, he was fully focused on the ball and it did him good. Time was passing by very quickly and everything seemed to be so easy. He was doing what he was the best at and it made him happy. Nothing else mattered.

“You are Marco Reus!” The voice startled him. He quickly spun around and saw a small boy staring at him from the pavement through the fence. Marco smiled at him encouragingly and started off towards him.

“Yes. How can I help you, little one?” He asked in his friendliest voice. The boy seemed a bit frightened of him, as if he wasn’t sure if he should have talked to him. Marco was determined to show him his best side, because right now, this boy was the biggest chance he had, even though he hadn’t crossed the border of his academy, either.

“My brother admires you.” The boy said after a long consideration. Marco had been sure that the next moment the kid would run away, but actually, he smiled at the blond. He was a nice boy with brown hair and eyes.

“Thank you. Should I give you a signature? I’m sure he would like it.” Marco said and hoped that he didn’t sound too self-conceited. He had prepared himself for such a talk for a long time, and yet, when it was finally happening, words failed him.

“He wouldn’t believe me.” The boy shook his head. “I’m Ronnie, by the way.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Marco smiled. “Tell you what! Since your brother wouldn’t believe you that you met me, what if I go with you home and meet him, too. That would be a huge surprise, wouldn’t you agree?”

“That would be great, but I live far from here. I was on my way to the bus station from school.” Ronnie explained.

“I see.” Marco mused. He wasn’t getting his way. But, thinking about it, Ronnie had no reason to trust him. Marco wasn’t going to hurt him, but one could read so many horrible stories nowadays, he couldn’t blame Ronnie for being wary.

“I don’t know the exact address, either.” The boy bit down on his lip. “But I now where the bus goes.” His eyes sparkled. “If you have a car, you can drive me there!”

“That’s a deal.” Marco chuckled. “Could you give me a minute? I need to lock the doors and then we are ready to go.”

“Okay.” Ronnie nodded and walked to the entrance.

Marco hurried to return to him before the boy could change his mind. But, Ronnie kept his word and he was waiting for him. Marco led him to his car and helped him to get his rucksack off. It was heavier than Marco had expected. What did the teachers expect of kids nowadays?

Marco wanted to chat with Ronnie on their way, but the boy was concentrating on the road, so he wouldn’t miss a turn. They didn’t and they arrived in front of a big building. Marco considered it questioningly. Ronnie got out and a young lady ran to him, telling him off.

“What were you thinking, Ronnie?” She shouted. “We’ve told you many times not to get into a stranger’s car.”

“But Sue, Mr. Reus isn’t a stranger!” Ronnie tried to explain.

“I’m sorry if I caused any problems.” Marco got out of the car. The young lady with the name Sue looked at him with wide eyes. “Ronnie ran into me and told me how much his brother liked me as a player. We only wanted to give him a pleasant surprise.”

“You most certainly did.” Sue finally laughed. “I’m sorry about my reaction, but we cannot be careful enough when it comes to kids. My name is Sue,” she shook hands with Marco “I’m a social worker.”

It was then when the penny finally dropped and Marco started to smile. The solution he had been looking for came from a small boy.


	15. A New Quest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a longer break, I'm here with the next chapter. I really hope that you will like it, I'm a bit unsure about it. :-)

Marco looked at Ronnie, then at Sue and finally at the huge building. His gaze wandered back to the little boy and he stared at his young and puffy face. He really should have seen it earlier. They hadn’t talked about it, but there had been something strange about how Ronnie had talked about his brother and he had never mentioned his parents. Marco hadn’t spotted the sign next to the building’s entrance when they arrived but now he read it and his heart missed a beat. It was an aha moment and everything clicked together. He instinctively felt that his idea was the right one, and it would save his academy from collapsing. Meeting Ronnie was a huge gift, an opportunity and he wasn’t going to throw it away.

“Is this an orphanage?” He asked, his voice breaking from his excitement. He knew that his dream would come true in the next hour– or it would be shattered into a thousand pieces. Sue looked back at him with a concerned face. Marco wasn’t sure if she was afraid about his sanity or his eyesight. He must have looked something akin to a madman. He always did when he was passionately fighting for something he wanted really badly. It was another thing he had learned from Seb.

“Yes.” She finally said as if it was the most obvious thing in the universe. Maybe it was, considering the huge sign Marco had missed so easily. But, he couldn’t care about it right now. There was only one thought on his mind and that was to stop himself from cheering.

“Um, I know that it’ll sound strange, but could I speak to the director? I mean, if you have one.” He drawled, unsure about himself all of a sudden. “You know, the one who runs the place. I don’t know the right word for it.” He was blushing like a teenager on his first date and Sue watched him with the same amused and sympathetic expression she must have used on the small kids.

“You were right: it does sound strange.” She laughed. “We have a director and your vocabulary is quite perfect.” She chatted, placing her hand on Ronnie’s shoulder. “I don’t know if she will see you right away. Mrs. Green is a bit old-fashioned and expects her visitors to call her before coming to appointments. But, we’ll see what we can do.”

“Thank you.” Marco smiled, relieved. The picture Sue had painted about this Mrs. Green wasn’t very favorable, but he had come through the first obstacle, and it was already a bigger progress than he had hoped for in the morning.

They went inside the building where Sue helped Ronnie to take his shoes off and she also made sure that the small boy washed his hands before running to his room to tell his brother whom he had met. Marco watched him with a warm heart. He had always loved the kind of enthusiasm only children had and all his life, he had tried to keep it as much as possible. That’s why he had spent as much time as he could with Nico when his nephew was a kid and probably that’s why his growing up affected their relationship so much.

“Before we go to Mrs. Green’s office,” Sue brought him out of his musings, “could you please not tell her that you drove Ronnie here? I don’t think she would be glad to hear about it.”

“Of course.” Marco nodded. The caregiver started off in the opposite direction to which way Ronnie had gone. The blond followed her and tried to ignore the huge lump rising in his throat.

“Wait here.” Sue told him when they arrived at a wooden door. She knocked on it carefully and opened the door. “Mrs. Green?” She asked shyly.

“Yes?” It was a raspy voice. Its owner must have smoked cigarettes all her life, Marco thought.

“Mr. Reus would like to see you.” Sue said.

“Who?”

“Mr. Marco Reus.” Sue elaborated. “He was a footballer and he had just moved to Manchester. I met him when I went to pick Ronnie up.”

“What does he want?” Marco was already not liking Mrs. Green.

“I don’t know, he didn’t tell it to me. Should I let him in or send him away?” Sue asked.

“Give me a minute.” Mrs. Green said. Sue nodded and closed the door.

“You’ve heard the boss.” She smiled encouragingly at Marco. They stood in silence, listening to the wild keyboard clicking. Mrs. Green must be doing a quick background check on Marco. Sue tried to look natural, concealing the embarrassing situation they had found themselves in. It lasted longer than either of them would have liked, but in the end, Mrs. Green called out for Sue to let Marco in. “Good luck!” She whispered as Marco stepped into the office.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Reus!” The orphanage’s director greeted him. Marco’s instinct hadn’t let him down. Mrs. Green’s yellowish teeth spoke about years of smoking and the blond spotted nicotine stains on her fingers when they shook hands. But, despite that, she had the impression of a nice lady who really cared about the children fallen under her responsibility and she welcomed Marco with sincere interest that went beyond the expectance of easy money through a generous donation. “How can I help you?”

“Well, I was hoping that maybe I could be the one helping you.” Marco started. Usually, he would have felt uncomfortable. He had no problems with making big decisions, his career had forced him to do it, but he had always left negotiations for his agent and/or Seb. He cared about every person and once there was a disagreement between them, Marco felt inclined to change his opinion just to end the tension between them.

“Really? Why, that sounds interesting.” Mrs. Green leaned forward, her curiosity rising.

“I’m not sure if you have heard about it, but I started a football academy for small kids. Now, I’m looking for possibilities to widen the group of kids.” He stopped himself from saying _finding a group of kids_ in the last moment. He needed to be professional in this and admitting his lack of success wasn’t among the ideal ways of advertising himself and his work. “We provide modern training methods and we also have a qualified coach. We are not forcing anything, though. We want to show the kids the joy of football and exercise, our goal is not to deter them by pushing them into something that they don’t like.”

“That sounds indeed interesting.” Mrs. Green mused out loud and then she fell into a silence for a few seconds. The seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity while Marco was waiting for her answer sitting on the edge of his seat. “I must admit, that we have some problem with the children’s after-school activities and some physical exercise wouldn’t do them any harm.” Her words were promising, but Marco couldn’t ignore the tone she used. Everything she said was building up to a ‘ _but_ ’ and the blond waited anxiously until it would finally come. “But, there are some things I have to take into consideration, and I’m afraid that I can’t give you a positive answer right now.”

Marco let out a huge breath he hadn’t known he had been holding in. This again! _Your idea is great and we know that you mean good and that you want to help the kids, but you are gay and trusting you with small boys would be a huge risk_. He was sick from this way of thinking and he felt deeply ashamed that he was the member of a society that would think about its own members in such a way. But, he thought that he had taken it for too long. He wasn’t going to swallow that bitter pill again.

“If you are referring to my sexual orientation, I can assure you that–”

“Please, don’t even finish that sentence, Mr. Reus.” Mrs. Green lifted her hands and Marco shut up immediately. The director had authority, he had to give her that. “I don’t have the slightest doubt about your ability to lead a football academy and coach a group of kids. Believe me, I couldn’t care less about your private life when assessing your offer. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. In the public sector, we must follow the guidelines the government approves and discriminating someone because of his or her sexual orientation is something we left behind a long time ago.”

Marco listened to her taken aback. He couldn’t say that her words reassured him. Seb had taught him not to trust such government guidelines, because he couldn’t tell if he was being accepted because of them or because the people involved truly couldn’t care less about his private life. His guts told him though that Mrs. Green fell into the latter category and he relaxed a little bit. He still had no idea what the problem was, but he was hopeful that it could be overcome.

“What I was meaning to say is that our resources are limited and unfortunately, we can’t afford such a pastime activity for the orphans. Maybe we could set apart some finances for a few boys’ football education, but this isn’t the solution to our problem we are looking for. I’m sorry, but I think I must refuse your offer.” She could finish it because Marco couldn’t speak from his relief. That was it? That was the big problem standing in his way? He grinned and it must have struck Mrs. Green strange, because she looked at him as if she was concerned about his mental health.

“Mrs. Green, my academy is financed from my own savings. It’s a charity organization and we wouldn’t expect or accept money for our services. The children’s best interest is our only concern.” Marco explained. He felt like shouting in joy, but he knew better than that. That would have definitely worsen his chances. Things were finally going his way; screwing it all up would have been like shooting himself in the foot.

“Why haven’t you started with that?” Mrs. Green smiled at him. “That puts everything in a different light. Of course, I will still have to visit your academy to make sure that it is suitable for our kids.”

“That’s only natural!” Marco was eager to agree. “I could come and pick you up tomorrow, if it is okay.”

“You should call me in the morning, first.” Mrs. Green slowed him down a bit. “Then we will agree on an appointment.”

“Yes, of course.” Marco stood up, nodding his head vigorously. “Thank you, Mrs. Green. And please, don’t worry about the children’s transportation, either. We can find a small van and rent it so it will take them to the academy and back.”

“As I’ve said, we will agree on the details later.” Mrs. Green repeated. “And now, please forgive me, but I have some other things to do.”

“Of course, of course.” Marco’s voice broke. “Thank you again.” He said as he left the room. On the corridor, once the door was closed behind him, he allowed himself a jump and he threw his hands in the air triumphantly.

“I suppose the meeting went rather well, then.” He heard Sue’s amused chuckle. He quickly stood up straight and ran his fingers through his hair nervously and blushing.

“I’m sorry, I had no idea that you were still there.” He said sheepishly.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything, Mr. Reus.” Sue smiled at him.

“Marco. Please, call me Marco.” He said with a half-grin.

“You don’t have to be sorry, Marco.” She repeated. “Especially not for being passionate about _something_.” She said in a way that implied a question. It was then that Marco realized that he hadn’t yet told her about his plan.

“Oh, I’ve started an academy in the city.” Marco explained.

“Yes, I’ve read about it in the papers.” Sue nodded.

“And I thought that maybe the kids from this orphanage could come to play some football at us.” Marco finished.

“Wow, that sounds truly amazing!” Sue cried out. “The boys will love it! You are really a nice person, Marco.”

“Thank you, but I’m only trying to help where I can.” Marco stared at his feet, like he always did when he received praise for something that he considered normal.

“Believe me, in this world, it makes you exceptional already.” Sue placed her hand on his shoulder, but pulled back after a moment. Marco smiled at her reassuringly, trying to tell her without words that it was okay, and he didn’t find the touch intruding. “I’m sorry, Marco, but I have to go now. I must make sure that the kids are finishing their homeworks and help them if they need me.”

“Of course.” Marco nodded. “But wait, Sue! Could you please show me where Ronnie and his brother live? I have promised him that I would go and see them.”

“Keith?” Sue said, taken aback. No, it wasn’t just that. She was _shocked_ as she bit down on her lip. “I know that Ronnie meant good, Marco, and I know that you mean well, too, but I’m not sure if this is a good idea.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” The blond asked, truly scared now.

“Well, Keith is a kind of special case.” Sue sighed. “I’m not sure how much I can tell you, but I trust you and that you will keep this confidential.” She drew in a deep breath, and pulled Marco further away from Mrs. Green’s office. “The thing is, that Keith is the typical bad boy from an orphanage. Their parents died in a car crash ten years ago, and Ronnie doesn’t remember them. It happened not long after his birth. But Keith had big problems dealing with his loss, and he had to endure some other bad things, too. It hasn’t helped him and he might say something that could you know, hurt you.”

“I’ll take my chance.” Marco said without consideration. He had gone through worse than a teenager’s mocking, he was sure about it and he had also promised Ronnie to visit his brother. “Maybe I could help somehow.”

“If that’s what you want to do.” Sue shrugged. “But don’t tell that I haven’t warned you.” She said before she started off towards the lobby again.

They walked up the stairs and turned into a corridor with countless doors opening into both directions. Marco felt his heart crawling up in his throat with each step. He had no idea why Sue was so pessimistic and why she had tried to deter him from this visit. As they approached their destination, Marco heard loud music coming from the brothers’ room and he saw Sue rolling her eyes. She knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for an answer.

“Keith, I’ve told you at least a thousand times to not listen to music when the others are studying. You should at least be thoughtful of your brother!” She pointed at Ronnie who was buried in a textbook. He looked up and saw Marco behind Sue.

“You’ve come! You really did come!” He sprang up and ran to Marco, taking his hand and tugging him into the room. “Keith, look who is here! See, I’ve told you that I have met him!” He said proudly.

Ronnie’s brother was sitting with his back to Marco. He leaned forward and turned down the volume of his hi-fi towers before he stood up and shot a bored look at Marco. The blond couldn’t tell that Keith was flattered to see him. But then, it was almost impossible to read anything out from his face. His long, dark locks fell into his forehead and partly into his eyes. He had the eyes in a beautiful shade of green, but there was no sign of life or passion glimmering in them. He had sun-tanned skin, something Marco didn’t see often in England and it told him that Keith spent a lot of time outside. Maybe instead of school.

“Hey!” He barked at Marco.

“Ronnie told me that you were a fan of me while I still played.” Marco explained, just to say something. This wasn’t how he had imagined their meeting. “He asked me if I could come here and meet you. He thought that you would like that.”

“Yeah, thanks. That’s nice of you.” Keith shrugged and scoffed, just not to hurt his little brother’s feelings. It was obvious that he wasn’t glad at all about their visitor, and Ronnie could miss it only because he was so proud of what he had accomplished by bringing his brother’s idol into their room.

“Tell him about how you supported Dortmund, Keith!” Ronnie urged his brother. It wasn’t a good idea, but he didn’t see it.

“Yeah, I did.” Keith admitted. He was having enough of this conversation. “Listen, I appreciate your effort, but Ronnie needs to study for school, and obviously he can’t do it with you here.”

“Oh, of course!” Marco nodded, taking the opportunity when he could leave without a bad conscience. He shot Ronnie a smile one more time before he turned around and sneaked out of the room. He couldn’t believe that a teenager could make him back down so easily, but there was something in Keith’s cold eyes that not only made him regret his decision, but also frightened him. Sue joined him on the corridor a second later.

“See, I’ve told you it wasn’t a good idea.” She said.

“But what’s wrong with him?” Marco asked. “He certainly didn’t look like he ever liked me!”

“No one really knows what’s going on in Keith’s mind. He doesn’t talk to anyone and believe me when I say that we have tried to bring down his walls.” Sue explained and stopped when they heard a few muffled sounds from behind the door.

“–and don’t bring him here again, because I don’t want to see him!” Marco heard Keith’s ruthless voice that felt like a dagger into his heart. He somehow felt a connection to the teenager despite the obvious disgust Keith held for him and he wanted to try to understand him. And maybe one day, he would.


	16. History Repeats Itself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit darker update again and I'm curious what you will think about it, so please, share your thoughts with me in the comments. Your feedback is always appreciated. :-)

“Could you please stop pointing fingers at each other?” Klopp covered his ears and rubbed his temples. His head was aching after listening to his coaches who right now didn’t remind him of two grown-up men at all.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Klopp, but it’s hard to keep a rational argument with a child who keeps blaming me for everything.” Walker defended himself and Klopp saw a satisfied grin spread out on Seb’s face. There was no doubt that his assistant was enjoying this to no end. Maybe being called a child even flattered him. Klopp had expected an argument like this ever since they had come to United, but he couldn’t quite prepare himself for it.

“Right now, you are both acting like two little boys trying to convince me that you are the better! I only see no reason why you would do that.” Klopp reprimanded his attacking coordinator. He couldn’t understand the big fuss these two were making out of their first pre-season game. They had won comfortably and only conceded a goal in the dying minutes. It was frustrating, of course, but it certainly wasn’t the end of the world. And instead of pouting, Klopp would have liked to work on a solution, something that seemed impossible with his two advisors being too caught up in disparaging the other one.

His outburst finally helped. Walker opened his mouth to object, but he ran out of words and Klopp could see that he had realized how childish he had been in the last few minutes. His only concern was that there was no change in Seb’s expression. He half-sat, half-lied on his chair with his arms crossed before his chest, a lopsided mocking smile playing on his lips and his eyes twinkling with amusement. Klopp had to admit, that right now, his assistant was an annoying little brat and he didn’t like it at all.

He had brought Seb with him because he believed in his skills and knowledge. He had thought that the young man would see it as a huge opportunity to step up and would take his role more seriously, but Klopp now had to admit that nothing had changed for the last ten years, ever since he had met Seb for the first time. And the worst thing was that Seb’s behavior weakened the position of both of them. Klopp could hear muttered complaints about his leadership and how he stuck to his ‘favorites’ like Seb. He really needed to talk to Seb and that urgently.

“Thank you.” He sighed, grateful for a few seconds of complete silence. He forced himself to smile as he addressed his coaches. “We will have to work harder on defending set pieces, but we are in the first few days of a process of change, so I don’t want you to go hard on the players for conceding a goal that could have been defended easily hadn’t they been too lazy. But now, I expect all of you to concentrate on the friendly Champions Cup matches. It will be a great opportunity for us to measure ourselves against big opposition. So if you could share some _useful_ notes about our play, it would be greatly appreciated.” He looked around encouragingly at his coaches, but all of them remained silent for a minute.

“We need to make the attack more fluid…” Seb finally spoke up, sighing and looking slightly bored.

“That again!” Walker snorted.

“…and the defense more rigid at the same time.” Seb continued without noticing his adversary’s comment. “Many times, especially against a counter-attack, the players had no idea where they should be on the pitch. We must do much more drills and make the players understand their role. They can’t stop in the middle of the game to look around and see where their teammates are. It all has to be automatic and much quicker. If we speed up the transition, it will help the attack and give the needed support for the offense to get creative.”

Everyone listened to him in silence and a few coaches nodded their heads. Even Walker seemed taken aback by his spot-on and very objective opinion. Klopp expected Seb to start smiling again, but instead, he sat with the same bored expression.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t agree with Sebastian’s comment?” The head coached asked, but he got no answer.

It was sobering. In Germany, he had been used to long debates where ideas would go head-to-head. It had been the perfect work environment and he wanted to implement something similar in England, but he now saw that it wouldn’t be as easy as he had thought. Here, the coaches had much more respect for their manager, which was good in a way, but in another way, it killed the chance to improve.

“Okay! We will come back to it later, then.” He clapped his hands. “We have a training session in the afternoon and I would like you to watch the players extra carefully. We’ve gone through the kind of play we expect from them many times, so don’t hesitate to correct them if they are doing something wrong. The meeting is over, you are free to go, except for you.” He turned to Seb. His assistant only nodded.

“Why are you doing our jobs harder than it should be?” Klopp asked after they were alone.

“I’m just doing what you asked me to do.” Seb shrugged. “Telling my opinion and bringing my ideas into the team.”

“And arguing with Walker all the time.” Klopp added. Seb rolled his eyes. “Listen, Sebastian! You are a great coach, and I’ve said that many times. You understand football and you can work together with the players extremely well. But, to be successful, you also have to learn to work with your colleagues. Even if they don’t agree with you. You should listen to them and maybe think about what they say. You might learn something from them.”

“I do.” Seb said dryly. “I don’t doubt that Walker is right. The defense sucked for that one corner. But to blame _me_ for it is something I won’t take.”

“So instead you will make it a personal fight?” Klopp raised his eyebrow.

“No.” Seb shook his head. “I will think hard about the solutions and hope that Walker will do the same and finally get over the fact that he wasn’t appointed as your assistant.”

“That’s exactly the sort of comment you need to cut out and everything will be great.” Klopp scolded him again. “What about the solution? Do you have any concrete ideas?”

“I’d like to try something.” Seb said and Klopp nodded.

“I’ll give you a chance at the training. You can work with the defenders an hour, okay?”

 

* * *

 

Seb watched pleased as the players positioned themselves exactly the way he had envisioned it. _His_ players. It was him who had come up with the plan to make their defense better and it was him who had been given the task of implementing the minor changes. He wasn’t going to reinvent defending, he was only making a few adjustments to make the back four more stable and focused. But he wasn’t using his time only for setting up new tactics. In the meantime, he was analyzing the hierarchy within the defenders, ready to spot whom they listened to because it was crucial to understand the chemistry between these players to be successful at his job.

Erik was the oldest and most experienced from them, but strangely enough, he wasn’t the one they respected the most. He had never quite grown up and while when he said something, the others heard it out, he wasn’t a leader on trainings. He contended himself with letting his leadership skills show during their matches when he could command a defense with a few looks and orders.

The real leader was Adrian Newman and the reason for it had become clear to Seb after the first training they had had. Adrian was a talented and hard-working player. His concentration never faltered and his determination was contagious. He lifted his teammates’ spirits and pushed them forward. If Klopp would wonder if there was a need to change the team’s captain, Seb wasn’t going to hesitate to suggest Newman.

“Okay, guys, time for something else!” He clapped his hands to make everyone listen to him.

It didn’t quite work. It was a new role to him and he hadn’t gotten used to it. In Dortmund, he hadn’t had such an important position. He had been entrusted with giving out tactical instructions now and then, but the head coach had always told the players to listen to him. He couldn’t rely on it anymore. He needed to work on his charisma and make himself be seen and heard. No one was going to help him and he knew it very well. He put two fingers into his mouth and whistled. Everyone turned towards him.

“Great! We’ll have a look at how you should stop attackers charging forward. It should be a simple technical issue which you should already know, but it’s always a good idea to make some extra exercises. Plus, I’m concerned about the other defenders’ positioning in those situations.”

The players gathered around him in a circle and Seb lowered his voice. He didn’t like it when he had to shout although he never thought twice when he needed to. Somehow, he felt that when he was yelling instructions, he was also yelling at the players and he rather kept their relationship professional, but also friendly. It was the approach he had learned from Klopp back in Dortmund in his first few years and he had stuck to it in the upcoming years while working for Tuchel, a more professional and reserved coach in every regard.

“The main thing is that I’d like you to look for a teammate to pass to somewhere in the center first, even if it is the goalkeeper. We don’t only want to stop the opponent from attacking, we want to start a counter-attack of our own. We can’t really do it when you clear the ball to the flanks. Of course there might come a few situations when it’s inevitable and it will be up to you to judge each individual situation on the pitch, but right now, I want you to exercise in trios. One will take the role of the opponent’s attacker, one will be our defender marking him and trying to get the ball away from him and the third one will be another defender waiting for the pass. Everything clear?” The players nodded in unison and Seb clapped his hands again.

The defenders created groups of three and started practicing the movement while Seb watched them with observant eyes, ready to add a few more notes to everyone’s performance. The first group did fairly well, with the more experienced players understanding what Seb expected from them easily. The second group did a bit worse, but after a few more drills they could do the move in any lineup.

“No, Chris, you are going on it completely wrong!” Seb stepped to Chris Weir from the third group. “Have you ever played drums?” He asked and the defender shook his head, clueless about what Seb was trying to say. He had always been skeptical of the young coach but Seb thought that with some time, he could convince all of them. “It’s all about the rhythm. You arrive with your stronger foot and block the attacker’s way to the ball with that one and it forces you to pass with your weaker foot. You must do it the other way around. Otherwise, you might end up tripping the opponent and with the attackers grown up watching the likes of Robben that would most probably result in a ridiculous dive and a penalty against us. Try it again, okay?” He encouraged the young player.

Weir pressed his lips into a thin line but walked back with his teammate playing the role of the attacker and started the movement again. They were running side by side, charging toward the two poles representing United’s goal. Seb hadn’t moved from his previous position and Chris decided to block the attacker right next to the coach. He went in once again with his strong foot, but he remembered Seb’s words and tried to correct his movement, but he only tripped himself and started to fall.

“Whoa, careful!” Seb cried out as he reached for the defender and grabbed him by the arms, stopping him from hitting the ground.

“Stop touching me, you f–” Chris shouted. There was this strange silence around them that left them with no doubts that everyone had seen the scene and heard Chris’s exclamation. Seb watched him with a cutting glance and the player shot his eyes down to the ground. It lasted for a few seconds only but it felt like an eternity, before Seb let go of the defender.

“Fucker, right?” Seb finished the sentence for him, stopping him from uttering the word he must have wanted to use.

_Faggot_. Seb had thought that they had left behind this word a long time ago, right after Marco’s coming out. Maybe it had been in Liverpool, because after that match when The Reds’ supporters kept throwing insults at Marco for ninety minutes there had been a widespread campaign to stop the hate towards homosexuals in the world of football. Seb had no illusions and of course he knew that it wasn’t over yet and that he could expect something like this, but it came at the least probable time when he didn’t expect it at all and he was taken by surprise. A red cloud blurred his vision and he had to do his very best to stop himself from acting on the spur of the moment.

“Chris, what the–” Erik started off towards them. He had an incredulous expression and he must have been as mad at his teammate as Seb was.

“Get back to your training, Durm!” Seb spat the words in his direction. Erik stopped and paled and seeing Seb’s angry face, turned away and returned with his tail between his legs. Seb didn’t mean to hurt him and seeing the sad look in his friend’s eyes finally opened his own eyes and he calmed down a little bit. He saw that Klopp was approaching them, ready to intervene, but he didn’t want to wait for him. He wanted to handle it alone, to show everyone that he was immune to such offensive remarks.

“Don’t worry, I find no pleasure in holding you.” He said to Weir with a mocking smile. “You can check my groin if you’d like to, just to make sure. And the next time you will be falling and I will be the only one who can stop it, I will take a step back and watch as your face hits the ground, if that’s what you want. Maybe it will help you get these nonsense out of your head. Now get back to training and try to do it right this time!” He hissed.

Weir gulped and walked away, his head hanging low in shame. He stopped and looked back, as if he wanted to say something, but Seb’s scornful look deterred him. His teammates treated him the same way and he realized how much he had screwed things up.

“Training’s over, guys!” Klopp called over the pitch, sensing that there was unfinished business that needed to be solved right away. The players sighed relieved and started off to the locker rooms immediately. “You are coming with me.” He said to Seb.

His assistant had expected to see empathy in the coach’s eyes, but there was anger there instead. Seb didn’t understand it and he followed his boss unsure. Wasn’t it him who was the victim here? Shouldn’t Klopp talk to Weir about his behavior instead of him? They walked after the players and Klopp led him into a storage room. He closed the door behind them and leaned against it so Seb had no way out.

“What was going on out there on the pitch?” Klopp asked.

“You saw it, didn’t you?” Seb shrugged.

“I was referring to what you said to Chris.” Klopp hit back. “Don’t you think that you went a bit too far? You can’t just tell a player to grab your private parts to see if you have a boner or not!”

“You know how I meant it.” Seb yelled. “He insulted me!”

“And I was going to tell him off for that and solve the situation!” Klopp raised his voice as well. “It is _my_ job as head coach to create and preserve harmony in the squad! The next time something like this happens, you will tell me and let me handle it. As long as you don’t learn to do it like a grown-up man who has duties and responsibility. Understood?”

“I can’t believe you.” Seb scoffed. “You’re really blaming me for what happened?”

“I’m blaming you for what came out of it.” Klopp said calmly. “But, it’s not too late to make it up. When we get back to the hotel, you will talk to Chris. Like two level-headed men.”

“Yes, as if he was one.” Seb swallowed back a mocking laugh.

“You haven’t quite proven that you are any different!” Klopp reprimanded him. “Where’s the Sebastian Kruse who told Marco not to take it personally? That the voices throwing shit at him were not worth listening to? Can’t you practice what you preach?”

“It was different.” Seb tried to explain himself, but Klopp wasn’t interested in his excuses.

“It’s not a debate, Kruse!” He cut Seb short. “You will talk to Chris and smooth things over.” He stepped away from the door, showing to his assistant that their talk was over. Seb walked over to the door and placed his hand on the knob.

“I’m not Marco.” Seb turned back. “I can fight my battles alone.”

“No, you can’t.” Klopp corrected him. “No one can. We all need someone to support us and be by our side. And you are a fool if you still think that you are an exception to the rule.”


	17. Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last few days, I've been in a great writing mood for this story, so I thought that I would post the next update already. I hope you don't mind. Once again, I would be extremely interested in your opinion of Seb's dealing with what happened. :-)

Klopp kept his word and he took Seb to the room they had been using for tactical meetings right after they arrived back at the hotel. He sent one of his coaches after Chris and they were waiting for the player’s arrival. Seb still thought that it was a bad idea and a ridiculous one. He didn’t agree with his boss. He didn’t feel as if he needed to apologize and he didn’t want to say sorry when he didn’t mean it. He had it wired into him. He had never feigned his feelings and he didn’t want to start with it right now.

He sat down on one of the chairs and avoided Klopp’s gaze at all costs. The head coach was standing at the window, staring outside, seemingly calm, but Seb was sure that inside, he was anxious. Despite his telling off, it was clear to Seb that Klopp couldn’t believe what had happened on the training pitch and he was sure that Weir was going to get the same sermon about tolerance and trying to find a way towards each other. Only, Seb didn’t want to find one and he voiced his objection after five minutes of nervy waiting.

“I don’t know what we could possibly talk about with Weir!” He burst out. Klopp turned to him slowly and raised one eyebrow. “He doesn’t approve of my ways and I can’t change his way of thinking. As long as he can stay professional and put aside his derision towards me, everything should be fine. There’s no reason why we should talk about it and make the damage even worse.”

“You are going to heal your relationship and right now I’m considering if I can trust you with this job or if I should stay with you two.” Klopp explained. “This isn’t a one-way thing, Sebastian. You keep talking about what Chris should do, how he should remain professional and keep his private opinion to himself. And yet, it is you who calls him _Weir_ all of a sudden and can’t mention him without raising his voice.”

“And you think that it isn’t understandable?” Seb snapped.

“I think it is completely understandable, but what I think, it doesn’t matter.” Klopp continued. “I am only interested in your thoughts and Chris’s. Sebastian, I believe that you can make it up. Even if you don’t want to, right now. You will work together, whether you like it or not. Chris is a promising talent and you can teach him a lot and I’m not talking only about football. You ask for my understanding of you and I ask you to at least try to understand Chris. If it doesn’t work out between you two, we will find a way to deal with it, but I won’t accept your defiant shrug without you putting some effort into talking to him. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes.” Seb gave in, unwillingly.

His heart still told him that Klopp was wrong and he should have been standing behind him completely. Where was the Jürgen Klopp who told his players to leave if they couldn’t get past the fact that one of them was homosexual? He knew that he had told the older coach that he was different than Marco, but thinking about it, he had to realize that it might have not been the truth. He wasn’t that different from his boyfriend. He still had his doubts and the hate he had faced today had made him insecure as well. He had been caught powerless and if there was something that he couldn’t deal with, it was his own powerlessness. He was a proactive person and being helpless, being unable to do anything about his situation was unimaginable for him.

There was a knock on the door and Klopp nodded satisfied. “It must be Chris. I will leave now and trust you to behave. You aren’t a young man anymore, Sebastian. You are an assistant manager and you have to find a way to make things work. This isn’t the place where you can just run away. Show me that you have grown up to the responsibility.” He repeated what he had told Seb so many times already before he started off towards the exit. He opened the door and let Chris Weir in.

If there was one person in the world whom Seb didn’t want to see right now, it was the defender and seeing the younger face told him that the feeling was mutual, although it stemmed from different sources. Instead of hatred, Weir was driven by remorse. After he realized who was waiting for him in the huge room, he did everything to stay unnoticed. He lowered his head and stared at his feet and standing there, he reminded Seb of a child.

“Come one, Weir, sit down.” Seb sighed in surrender. “Please.”

Klopp’s words had touched him and he finally understood what his boss had meant. The defender might not deserve a second chance but Seb was going to give him one, because understanding the driving force behind his hatred would give him a chance to end his own powerlessness. He wasn’t doing it for Klopp or for Weir. He was doing it for himself, most of all.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did and I deeply regret it.” Weir muttered. He still avoided eye-contact with Seb, but he moved closer and sat down carefully on one of the chairs. “I don’t know what else I can say…”

“Me neither.” Seb said. “But Jürgen thinks that we should be able to find a way to make things up and right now, it seems that his trust in me is damaged and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to lose my job. Not about something like this.” Weir kept staring at the nothing in front of him but hummed in agreement.

“Great! We have something in common after all.” Seb sneered. He really wanted to be more open-minded, but he couldn’t. Seeing Weir reminded him of the event on the training pitch and they weren’t something he could forgive that easily. He wasn’t sure if they could be forgiven at all. “Look, Weir… Chris”, he corrected himself. “I won’t pretend that everything is fine between us. What you said wasn’t nice at all–”

“Don’t even continue!” Weir stopped him. He jerked his head up and looked Seb in the eyes. The coach got a glimpse of his inner battle and saw a drop of tear welled up in the player’s eyes. “I know that what I did was horrible and there’s no excuse for me. I won’t try to find one. Just tell me what I can do to make it up somehow. If there’s a way to fix it, that is.” He drawled, his head falling again.

“Who was it?” Seb asked dryly. He thought that he understood the player now, or at least he had a very strong suspicion where his hatred came from.

“Huh?” Chris looked back at him, bewildered.

“You don’t just start hating faggots like me.” Seb elaborated. “Usually, there’s a trigger. A bad experience. Of course, there are the cases where it’s pure and uncalled for disgust but I’d like to believe that you don’t fall into that category.”

Chris took a deep breath and his eyes scanned Seb’s face. The raven-haired was sure that he had found a sore spot and that the defender was now considering if he could trust him enough to open up to him so deeply. Seb gave him the needed time and tried to look as encouragingly as he could. He felt a strange connection to him and it made his anger vanish. He saw him as being hurt as much as he had hurt Seb and he realized that Klopp had seen it in the young defender much earlier.

“My friend’s father.” Chris finally blurted out. His voice was raw, it was obvious that he was trying to hold back strong emotions. “We were ten when one day, he simply left his family, because he wanted to live his life. My friend couldn’t get over it and he blamed himself, like all children do. He was going downhills and I knew whom to blame. His father ruined his life because he was only man enough to admit his feelings towards another man but wasn’t man enough to realize his responsibilities. I took it out on you. I know that you have nothing to do with it and I didn’t even know that this feeling was in me. But, when you touched me–”

“You felt threatened.” Seb whispered. Chris looked at him and nodded. A heavy silence fell between them and their gulps could be heard in the room.

Seb was shocked. Chris’s confession put everything in a different light and he was stunned by how a detail could change his point of view. He was still hurt and far from being able to forgive, but he felt that they had made a step and he hoped that Christ felt the same. He cast a glance at the defender and took a deep breath.

“Look, Chris! I only wanted to help you. I understand your motives. I don’t agree with you of course, but I can see now where it comes from.” He wasn’t sure if he was doing the right thing, but he needed to speak his mind out. He hoped that speaking honestly and without restraints would help indeed. “But it’s fear from the kind of hatred you nourished that forced your friend’s father to start a family and it was the pressure that came from living in lies that made him leave one day. I’ve always tried to stay discreet about my private life and I will keep doing the same. I don’t want you to suddenly start liking me, that would be too much to ask for. It’s up to you to decide if you want to be the kind of man you were this afternoon.”

“No.” Chris simply said, his voice breaking. A teardrop rolled down his face.

“Then, if you need help or someone to talk to, you know where to find me.” Seb assured him. “If you need advice how to get over your dislike for gay people… I kind of like them.” He added a witty remark and it made the defender chuckle.

“Thank you for giving me another chance.” He said weakly.

“Thank Jürgen. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.” Seb answered.

“So does that mean that it’s okay between us?” Chris asked hesitantly. “I mean–”

“I wouldn’t say that we are friends. We never were, thinking about it. But, I am willing to put this incident behind me if you are.” Seb said and Chris nodded vehemently. “We will probably address this matter in the next team meeting, although I will try to talk to Jürgen about it. I’m not a fan of big public comings-together as you might have noticed. I’ll also talk to Erik. He seemed to be upset with you and he’ll listen to me.”

“Thanks.” Chris nodded.

“You can go now. And don’t forget: I’m here if you need me.” Seb finished their talk and looked down at his hands lying in his lap. He heard Chris stand up, but instead of leaving, the defender walked to him and soon, an extended hand appeared in Seb’s vision. He looked up at Chris. The young man was still moved by the way Seb had treated him and Seb was mad at himself that he had needed outside influence to act level-headed. He sat up straight and accepted Chris’s hand.

“Thank you. Thank you for everything.” The player repeated as they shook hands. Seb only nodded and a sour smile spread out on his face. There were a thousand questions racing in his mind and he didn’t know the answer to any of them.

 

* * *

 

It was already time for Seb to call Marco, but he was only sitting in his room on his bed, playing with his phone. He wasn’t sure what he should say to his boyfriend about his day. He didn’t want to tell the blond anything about Weir’s behavior because he knew that Marco couldn’t do anything about it but would most certainly try to help Seb any way he could. Klopp’s words echoed in his head. _You can’t do it alone_. What exactly couldn’t he do on his own? What good would it be if he talked to Marco about what happened? He would only tear up old and healed wounds. But, staying silent about the events seemed to be an equally bad idea. In the end, he hauled himself off with a deep sigh and started off towards the players’ room.

“Can I come in?” He said after Erik opened the door to his and Mario’s room. The brunet midfielder was away and the defender let him in without hesitation. “I’m here as a friend and not as your coach now.” Seb added as he entered and sat down in one of the armchairs. Erik looked at him bewildered, curious what the raven-haired would tell him.

“I’m listening.” He said, making himself comfortable on his bed.

“First, I want to apologize for my behavior at training. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” Seb started and a sincere shock and surprise sat out on Erik’s face.

“Wasn’t it the coach who spoke from you, then?” He asked.

“That’s even worse. A coach shouldn’t yell at his players. Not the way I did.” Seb answered with a sour taste in his mouth.

“Except if it’s Chris. By the way, have you seen him? He seemed to have vanished since we returned to the hotel.”

“I talked to him about what happened and I don’t think that it will happen again.” Seb said in a strict voice. He reminded Erik of his coach self for a second. “And I would be very glad if you didn’t talk to him about it.”

“But, he insulted you! And in a way, he insulted me, as well!” Erik exclaimed. He couldn’t understand his friend.

“No, he didn’t insult either of us. He wasn’t mad at me or you, and let that be enough for you.” Seb said dryly, leaving Erik even fuller of doubts.

“What’s gotten into you?” He cried out. “The Seb I knew would have torn Chris’s face off.”

“And the Erik I knew wouldn’t have cheered in the meantime.” Seb hit back and they sat in silence for a minute.

“What really happened?” Erik finally asked. “You seem to have forgiven him and I can’t imagine a reason for you to do so.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you. You can ask Chris. If he wants to share it with you, he will do it.” Seb shrugged.

“I just can’t understand him!” Erik shook his head. “We’ve played together for two years now and he has never made a comment like that! Hell, we’ve showered together and even shared a room a few times.”

“I’ve told you: it’s not personal.” Seb repeated calmly.

“I see that we aren’t getting anywhere further.” Erik sighed. “So why did you visit me? You seemed to be needing an advice.”

“Exactly.” Seb nodded. “It’s about Marco. I don’t know if I should tell him about it or not.”

“Why is that even a question?” Erik cried out. “You are a couple! You should be together in good and bad!”

“Yes, but…” Seb drawled. “Marco went through a lot after his coming out. He had to deal with the same kind of hate and I fear that reminding him of it wouldn’t do him any good. And honestly, what good would come out of troubling him with my problems that aren’t really big problems?”

“Are you even listening to yourself?!” Erik sprung up and looked incredulously at Seb. “Not a big problem? Seb, Chris insulted you because of something you can’t do anything about! If you don’t want to share it with Marco, then what _do_ you share with him? He can help you ease the burden, you don’t have to deal with it alone!”

“Okay, let me ask you it in a different way!” Seb tried again. “Let’s suppose that Alex one day has to cope with something similar. Let’s say that one of his articles gets refused only because he’s gay. Would you like him to tell you about it and remind you of your coming out? And if he did, what could you do about it?”

“Of course I would like him to tell me about it!” Erik blurted out without hesitation. “That’s what relationships are about! And I could support him and reassure him that I stand by his side no matter what. Sometimes it’s all that you need.”

“But I know it.” Seb said. “I know that Marco loves me and that I can lean on him if I needed.”

“Look, Seb!” Erik started. He was clearly frustrated by now. “I know that you are considering staying silent about it only because you love Marco and that you want to protect him. But, let him decide about what he does. Marco chose to live his life with you and accept you with all that comes with living with you. That means the good and the bad things. He isn’t a kid who needs to be protected from the evil things in the world. Show him that you trust him and that you aren’t afraid that he might get hurt. It was only after my coming out that I realized how much Alex’s support meant to me and I had it easier than Marco. I can only guess how much your love helped him. Let him do the same for you. Even if you think that you don’t need it. _He_ might.”

“Okay, thanks.” Seb stood up. He had always had problem with figuring out deep emotional dilemmas, mainly because he only knew one way to approach any problem: with his analytical mind and in the matters of the heart, that part of his brain wasn’t of much help. Talking to Erik had made him see things from a different angle and he left the player’s room with a firm determination to tell everything to Marco. But, when he dialed the blond’s number and a cheerful voice greeted him from the other side of the ocean, he forgot his problems.


	18. Deal or No Deal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached 100 comments with the last chapter and I want to thank all of you who have ever shared your thoughts with me about a chapter or the story. Please, keep it up if you like my updates, it will certainly help my motivation.  
> I wish you all a wonderful New Year, may all your dreams and wishes come true! :-)

The day after his talk with Mrs. Green, Marco woke up ecstatic. He literally jumped out of bed, rushed down into the kitchen and prepared breakfast humming a cheerful melody. He squeezed fresh orange juice for himself and Nico and by the time the teenager stumbled out of his room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, the table was set and fried eggs steamed on the plates. Nico looked at his uncle surprised, but sat down without a word and started his breakfast right away. Marco understood that he must have looked insane, but he simply couldn’t wash off his grin and he didn’t even want to. Seb had no problems in finding success at his new job and finally, it seemed that Marco was on the right track with his academy as well. Everything was fine and nothing could bring his mood down.

“So, Judy and I thought that maybe we could skip work today? There still aren’t any kids and–” Nico started, but Marco didn’t let him finish his reasoning.

“Absolutely not.” The blond shook his head. “You’ve basically had free days ever since we opened, for one day, you will work.”

“But what’s there to do?” Nico asked. “No offense, Uncle, but so far, nothing has worked out according to plan. Unless your plan was an academy that no one knew about, that is.”

“Be careful what you say about the man who’s cooking your meals.” Marco reprimanded him playfully. “And we might not have been successful until now, but that can easily change. That’s why we have to be in top shape today or tomorrow. And just any day. We have to be ready for the time when the children come.”

“I guess you are trying to say _if_ they come.” Nico groused, accepting his fate and long working hours at his ‘job’.

“Don’t try to correct me.” Marco smiled at him. He couldn’t get mad at his nephew. After two days of doubts, he finally had belief in his dream again and it gave him such a boost that he couldn’t care about his environment. He had once read that successful people brought the sunshine with them anywhere and he thought that he really understood it today. “ _If_ you had been at home last evening, you would know that there might come to an agreement between an orphanage and the academy, which would bring a group of kids to us. Which brings me to the question: where were you last evening?”

“Here and there.” Nico shrugged. “Judy showed me the good places in the neighborhood. Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything wrong. And you are wrong if you think that I don’t know about the news. I heard you when you talked to Seb in the middle of the night. Seriously, can’t you find a quieter way to talk? I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep for a long time. Why do you think I’m so sleepy?”

“Excuse me, Your Lordship to troubling your sleep!” Marco apologized, laughing.

“Leave that English humor to the English. It’s not funny anyways.” Nico rolled his eyes. “At least keep it down the next time. There are some things about your personal life and especially your feelings I really don’t want to know about.”

Marco blushed. Not that he had said anything to Seb that he would be ashamed of, but he had thought that they had been talking in privacy and he had been very open about how much he loved Seb and missed him and while it was true, it certainly hadn’t been meant for anyone else than Seb and him. He frowned at Nico, but it was of no effect, because the teenager only started to laugh.

“Relax, I’m just kidding!” He explained.

“You aren’t funny, either.” Marco hissed.

“Good that I’m not planning to become a comedian, then.” Nico shrugged and stood up. “Thanks for breakfast, I’ll go get ready for work, now that you have some tasks for me…” He started off towards the bathroom.

“You better get used to it! Your stay won’t be about lazy days and sightseeing in the evenings!” Marco called after him. “And no, I don’t need any help with washing the dishes, thank you for asking.” He added, mumbling to himself.

 

* * *

 

Until noon, Marco made Nico cut the grass even though it had barely had the time to grow in the days since opening. Judy had to refold all the training clothes and towels they had and he helped Jerry place some cones out on the training pitch. He wanted to impress Mrs. Green and that even at the cost of becoming the awful boss he had never meant to be. He also checked all the balls with Nico, looking for some previously unnoticed defects. Jerry pointed out that he was overreacting, given that he couldn’t be sure that Mrs. Green would come to see their academy today at all, but Marco ignored his remark. He had a great experience of not caring about skeptical notes after years spent by Seb’s side.

It was almost lunchtime when he got to the phone and called the orphanage. To his surprise, it wasn’t Mrs. Green’s voice that greeted him from the other end of the line.

“Hi, Sue, it’s me, Marco!” He spoke up after his surprise that lasted only a split second. He saw Jerry’s mischievous grin from the corner of his eyes. He must have found it very amusing that Marco already had connections who simply called him by his first name. “Could I speak to Mrs. Green?”

“Hey, Marco.” The social worker answered him. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid that it’s not the best time. There was some problem with one of the kids and Mrs. Green is solving it right now.”

“Oh, I see.” The blond sighed, a bit disappointed. “Could you tell her that I called her, then? We agreed yesterday that she would come and check the academy and I was wondering if I should go and pick her up today, if she had the time.”

“I’ll tell her.” Sue reassured him. “Although I don’t really think that she will come today. It’s serious business, I guess. I can’t tell you much about it.”

“It’s okay.” Marco said. _I’m not even sure why you told me this much_ , he thought to himself but he wasn’t going to point that out to his ally in the orphanage.

“Anyways, I’ll talk to the boss and let you know what she says.” Sue ended their talk.

“Thanks, bye.” Marco hasted to say but he wasn’t quick enough before he could finish the sentence, the telephone’s deep buzzing sound could be heard from the other end.

“Bad news, Marco?” Jerry sat up in his chair. He didn’t look interested at all, but Marco knew that behind this façade, the coach was anxious to learn about the news.

“Nothing, it’s just that the orphanage’s director probably won’t come today.” The blond explained with a sour taste in his mouth.

“I see.” Jerry hummed. “Since that’s the case, can I go for lunch?”

“Yes, whatever.” Marco waved. He needed some time alone and he started to massage his temples.

“Aren’t you coming?” Jerry asked, already next to the door.

“No, I’ll pass.” Marco shook his head. “Could you please tell Nico and Judy that they are free for an hour? But after that, I expect them back, okay?”

“Sure thing.” Jerry nodded and left the office.

Marco was alone and in silence. His head started to ache and it didn’t feel like it would get any better in the next hours. He knew very well what caused it and nothing could help it, only some progress in his academy’s life, but it didn’t seem likely this day. Or tomorrow. Who knew how long it would take for Mrs. Green to deal with the serious business Sue had been referring too. Marco didn’t want to think about it. He stood up and went outside. He stopped in the equipment room for a ball, heading for the training pitch. He was already out when the phone in his office started to ring, with no one to answer it.

 

* * *

 

Just as he had expected, playing some football helped him. He did some tricks and refreshed his free kick technique that was still impressive. He could curl the ball the way he wanted to and the feeling of accomplishment helped him forget about his temporary staggering. He considered calling Seb, but it was barely dawn in the States and he didn’t want to disturb his boyfriend. Not that Seb would have told him off for waking him up, but this was Marco’s dream and he had to fight for it. He couldn’t always rely on the raven-haired; there would come a time when Seb would need him because of his problems and at that time, Marco would have to put aside his own troubles and he knew that he would do that without any hesitation.

He didn’t notice the passing of time, he only registered a car stopping in front of the building. It was on the other side of the fence and so he couldn’t see who arrived at the academy. He gathered that it was Jerry coming back from lunch, but a minute passed and the coach didn’t join him. He had found out very fast that Jerry wasn’t as similar to Seb as it might have seemed at first sight. He had come to know him as a reliable and compassionate friend who always cared about his feelings.

He stopped the ball with his foot and listened. He faintly heard three voices talking in the parking lot, two of them he vaguely recognized. He quickly picked up the ball and rushed back into the building, straight to the front door. He unlocked it and tore it open, just to scare the three people standing there.

Mrs. Green jumped back in surprise, while Keith leaned against the wall with his impassive look. The only stranger in the little group was a police officer who casually checked out Marco. The blond had learned to look for signs of him being recognized, but if the police officer had realized who their host was, he didn’t show it.

“Mr. Reus!” Mrs. Green smiled, revealing her yellow teeth. “We thought that no one was here.”

“Yes, I’m sorry, I was in the back, on the pitch.” Marco apologized. “How can I help you?”

“Hasn’t Miss Davis called you?” Mrs. Green asked. “I thought that I might have a look around your academy and there is another issue we’d like to discuss with you with this officer and Keith.”

“Sure thing, please, come on in!” Marco stammered nervously.

What was going on? He must have missed Sue’s call while playing outside, but what was a policeman doing in his academy and above all, Keith? He led the little group into his office and offered them seats before finally slumping down in his chair.

“I’ll start with the less pleasant matter.” Mrs. Green took the initiative. “Today, Keith was caught in the act of vandalism. Since it’s his first offence, there won’t be a legal proceeding against him as long as our orphanage guarantees that he will do charity work for the next month. I thought that maybe you could use a helping pair of hands.”

“I– I– I don’t really know…” Marco faltered. He looked at the teenager for help, but he was only met by bored eyes. Nothing suggested that Keith felt bad about what he had done – whatever it might be.

“You don’t have to do it. I just thought that maybe you would be interested in the possibility.” Mrs. Green reassured him. “We would have Keith under control and you would have another worker for free. I can only imagine how hard it is to start a football academy like yours.” She looked around to emphasize her words.

“Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against it, but right now I can’t think of any task I could give Keith. We have staff for everything.” Marco explained.

“It’s okay, it was just a thought.” Mrs. Green shrugged. “I’m sure we will be able to find another organization for Keith. The kitchens for the poor are always looking for helpers.” She mused out loud.

“Or you could still pay the fine.” Keith spoke up. It must have annoyed him that they spoke about him without him.

“Forget about it, young man!” Mrs. Green snapped in a voice that scared even Marco. “You will learn from this incident and you better hope that I will find a charity organization that won’t make you do physical work. Although, I’m thinking that maybe it would do you more good.”

“Wait, he can work here!” Marco said without knowing why he did so. Keith hadn’t done anything for him why he should have helped him out and now the teenager’s incredulousness sat out on his face. The blond received equally puzzled looks from Mrs. Green and the policeman. “Currently, my nephew is responsible for our technical equipment, but honestly, I have doubts about how seriously he takes his job and it would be fine to have a second possibility to count on.”

“It’s decided, then.” The officer spoke up for the first time. He obviously didn’t want to be here. “Mr. McNeir will come with me back to the station where he will fill out the paperwork. We will pick up his Child Care Worker. Mr. Reus, we will send to you the needed papers you will have to sign, please return them as quickly as possible.”

“Certainly.” Marco nodded. He didn’t have time to realize what he had agreed to. Before he could think twice, the policeman and Keith were gone and he was left alone with Mrs. Green.

“Thank you very much for helping us.” She said. “Keith isn’t a bad kid, but honestly, I have no idea how we should treat him. He will reach the age of majority in two years, but I don’t predict a bright future for him.” She shook her head. “It’s a shame. He wants to take care of his little brother, but I wouldn’t give Ronnie into his hands. But, that’s not why I’m here.” She looked at Marco. “You could show me the academy and in the meantime, tell me in detail what you are planning to teach the kids.”

 

* * *

 

“…and so she said yes!” Marco finished retelling the meeting he had had with Mrs. Green earlier that day.

“Wow, that sounds great.” Seb said. His voice felt somewhat reserved as if he couldn’t be happy with Marco wholeheartedly, but the blond thought that it was only because of his fatigue or maybe the fact that they were thousands of miles apart.

“And it’s not all! She also asked the boys in the orphanage yesterday and she has a list of those who would like to come to my academy. Fifteen kids, Seb! Fifteen! Do you know what it means?” He continued with pride.

“That your academy is on the right track?”

“Exactly.” Marco grinned. “Gosh, I wish you were here with me right now. We could celebrate! I owe you so much for this. Without you, I would have given it up already. You will have to come and see it. It was bad enough that I opened it while you were in America. It’s a lovely place and perfect for us.”

“I’m glad you like it and everything worked out fine in the end.” Seb said in the same manner. Marco had this strange feeling about his boyfriend, but he couldn’t think about it through the curtain of his joy. Maybe it was an old reaction. In the past, when things had been working so well, usually something bad happened and unconsciously, he was already expecting a similar wake-up call. “When will they come for the first time?”

“Tomorrow.” Marco answered. “I’ve already told Jerry to set up a training schedule, but he said that we should evaluate their skills, first.”

“That sounds like a wise plan.” Seb snickered. “And what about this Keith? Are you sure that it was a good decision to hire him?”

“I’m not hiring him.” Marco corrected his love. “He’s just serving some kind of sentence. And no, I’m not sure about him. But, somehow I feel connected to him. I don’t know… as if there was a lot of pain inside him that no one could ever reach.”

“And you think that you might be the one to do it?” Seb finished the thought for him.

“Do you think that I am crazy for thinking so?” Marco asked sheepishly.

“No.” Seb said. “I would have been surprised if you hadn’t agreed to it. But you can’t save the whole world, Marco, okay? I don’t want you to get too caught up with this troubled teenager. Sometimes, you can’t change another human– why are you laughing?”

“Nothing.” Marco blurted out between two waves of laughter. “But you are talking about Keith exactly the way Marcel used to talk about you. And, it turned out pretty well between me and you, didn’t it?”

“Just be careful, Marco, alright?” Seb said seriously. “He might try to misuse your sympathy. He is there because of a sentence, don’t forget that.”

“I won’t, I promise.” Marco reassured his boyfriend. “And Ronnie will come to our academy so maybe spending some time with his brother outside the orphanage will do Keith good. Anyways, how was your day? I’ve been talking about myself all the time.”

“It was fine.” Seb answered just a split second later than it was called for and Marco noticed it.

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Yes.” Seb repeated. “Nothing special happened.”

“You’re not trying to hide something from me, do you?” Marco asked, just to be sure. He had a strange feeling and Marco sensed it clearly now. His stomach clenched into a tight knot and he waited anxiously for his boyfriend’s answer.

“Okay, but promise me that you won’t freak out– completely.” Seb said and Marco steeled himself for what was coming. “One of the players called me a fag.”


	19. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story keeps growing and new ideas come up every day and I can't see the end of it yet, but I enjoy writing it and your reaction tells me that you like reading it as well. Please, keep up your support, because it means the world to me and if you would be kind enough to share your opinions about this chapter, I would greatly appreciate it. I am a bit unsure about the end, because I felt it a bit cheesy, but ultimately, it had to go this way and I hope that you agree with me on that. :-)

“What!?” Marco yelled. Seb had been expecting it and he was holding his phone inches away from his ear, but his eardrum still cried out in pain from the loud voice. “And since when does that count as ‘nothing special’? Has it been happening regularly since you joined United or what?” He demanded.

“I didn’t tell you at first because I knew that you would freak out.” Seb tried to stay calm although it was hard to do. He had wanted to avoid exactly this. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken Erik’s advice and he should have kept silent about the incident. He had initially wanted to tell Marco once he was back in England, but it wasn’t an option and once the blond persisted on knowing if Seb was hiding something from him, the raven-haired knew that there was no way back. Not telling Marco anything would have hurt their relationship a lot.

“Of course I freaked out!” Marco burst out. “Don’t you think it’s something to get upset about? What did you do?”

“I told him to grab my dick to make sure that I wasn’t having a hard-on while touching him.” Seb said casually.

“What? Seb, I am serious. How did you react?” Marco exclaimed. Seb started to have a real fear that if his boyfriend didn’t calm down in the next few seconds, he would get a heart-attack.

“I’ve just told you. I grabbed him to stop him from falling, that’s when he called me a faggot. So I told him that I was having no pleasure in touching him and he could check it if he wanted to.” Seb shrugged.

“Okay, what’s gotten into you?” Marco snapped. “And how can you be okay with it?”

“It happened, Marco. We’ve talked about it, it’s over.” Seb reassured him.

“Wait. When you say it’s over, you don’t mean that the guy is dead, right? And who was it?” Marco demanded.

“No, he’s still alive, as far as I know. And his identity will remain a secret.” Seb told the blond.

“Why?”

“Because I want him to stay alive.” Seb said. “Right now, you don’t sound like a person who wouldn’t kill him at the first opportunity.”

“You feel that very right!” Marco continued in his angry manner. “And don’t think that I’m not mad at you! How could you let me go on talking about my academy when something like this happened to you?”

“Because your academy is important to me and I wanted to know how things are going back in England.” Seb explained. “And there’s more point in focusing on the pleasant things than the upsetting ones. We can’t stop living our lives every time someone calls one of us names.”

“Okay, I just feel we’ve traveled back ten years in time.” Marco finally calmed down. “You trying to keep things away from me and pretending that everything is fine and nothing affects you. It can’t be. I don’t believe you. How do you really feel about it?”

“How do you think I feel?” It was Seb’s time to snap frustrated. “I was called a fag. It’s never easy. But, I’m trying to not let it ruin my days because I have a job to do and a life to live. So no, I’m not feeling well about what happened but brooding over it would be worse than it already is. So I’d like to ask you not to brood over it, either.”

“Oh, sorry, big boy!” Marco mocked him. “Sorry for thinking that you have emotions and you might need someone to talk to.”

“I need someone to talk to! I need someone to listen to me and not yell and me and tell me how upset I should be. I don’t need a shoulder to cry on!” Seb shouted and it muted Marco. The coach could see his love sitting in their home, his mouth half-open as he tried to overcome the shock Seb’s outburst had caused him and compose his thoughts.

“Sorry.” Marco muttered finally. “I’m listening.”

“I’m not sure I can do it, Marco!” Seb started to speak his mind out. “Not like this. Jürgen told me that I can’t do it on my own and he is right. But, I’m alone. He is too caught up in his job to be able to help me and I can’t expect him to stay by me and watch over all of my moves and tell me what I’m doing right and wrong. Erik and Mario are too busy enjoying this little reunion and don’t really see what I’m going through. But, they are players and have problems on their own. The other players keep watching me skeptically and don’t trust my skills. I would like to prove to them my worth, but right now, I feel like I’m screwing it up. Maybe this step was just too much for me.”

“That’s stupid, Seb!” Marco cut in. “You are a great coach and know a lot about football. They will see it, soon. Just give yourself some time. It’s normal that you are unsure about yourself. I would be worried about you if you weren’t. But why didn’t you tell me that you were feeling this way? I could have helped!”

“And how?” Seb asked sourly. “I appreciate your thoughts and your support, but you can’t be by my side all the time, not literally. And you had your academy as your dream and I wanted you to focus on that and build it. I don’t want you to put aside your own life for me and sacrifice everything. I can’t ask that from you.”

“You don’t even have to.” Marco shook his head. “I wouldn’t have to give up anything to tell you that I trust your abilities. You are where you are on your own merit. You are Jürgen Klopp’s assistant coach and at Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world.”

“Thanks, putting that into perspective really helps a lot.” Seb groused.

“And you are there for a reason. That reason is because Kloppo believes in you. He knows that you can contribute to the team’s success and that you can give him advice that he can use. You see things that he misses and he chose you as his assistant. And let me tell you something: I’ve played under different coaches and there’s no one who values his assistant managers more than Kloppo. So let me quote you and tell you not to brood over your fears and look forward, instead. There’s a lot more that you could do. Don’t fight your worries. They are natural and can help you a lot if you find a way to accept them and tame them.”

“Wow, have you become a personal life coach since I flew to America?” Seb gaped.

“No, I’ve only listened to you when you talked to me ten years ago.” Marco chuckled. “I’ve been listening to you ever since, because some of what you say is actually gold and worth hearing out. Plus, this way you can’t disagree with me, because that would ultimately mean disagreeing with yourself and I know very well that there’s nothing that you hate more than that.”

“You’re evil.” Seb said plainly and Marco burst out laughing.

“I only know you better than anyone else. If being crazy in love with you and caring about you is evil, I’ll gladly take the blame.” The blond retorted.

“I love you.” Seb suddenly stated firmly after a second of silence from both of them.

“And I love you.” Marco answered. “Gosh, this one week until you get back to England will feel like an eternity.”

“Am I not good enough for you to wait for an eternity just to be together with me?” Seb smiled mischievously.

“You’re worth more than that.” Marco said with all honesty. “I could wait for you as long as it took. Just promise me that you won’t play the tough guy, okay? If something happens, tell me, because I want you to share everything with me, to feel really loved and trusted by you. It might be evident to you and I don’t question your love, but you know, sometimes it’s good to remind me of it or give a proof of it. Just to be sure.” The blond admitted shyly.

“Okay.” Seb chuckled. “Wait until I’ll get home. You’ll get your proof of love!”

“I can’t wait for it.” Marco joined in the laughter and Seb’s heart told him that he had made the right decision. His boyfriend wasn’t as fragile as he had been ten years ago and now he was more than ready to help him through life and to share his burden. He had been a fool to ever doubt his love’s strength and he should have told him about what had happened right away. Listening to Marco’s sweet and charming laughter made him realize that there still were so many things in the world he had to learn about love that would keep him busy for the rest of his life.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Seb was sitting in the conference room once again. This time though, he wasn’t waiting for just one person. A whole squad of players was sitting opposite him and listening to Klopp’s little speech about how they have to stick together and how vital it is for them to accept each other and fight for each other. He knew that he would have to speak to them very soon. No matter how he had tried, he couldn’t convince his boss. The older coach had been adamant that Seb spoke to the players and explained the situation and his opinion on it. If that was the case, he was going to get Seb’s opinion, the raven-haired decided. Even if Klopp might not like it.

Seb hated talking to an uninterested audience and he was going to face a bunch of uninterested players. Maybe it wasn’t exact after all. These guys would probably listen to him, feigning interest, the only problem was that they couldn’t care about what he had to say – that was Seb’s impression after their breakfast. He had imagined different kinds of reaction for the incident from the day before, but the reality was worse than his fears. Ironically enough, it was because everyone became nicer to him. The skeptical glances vanished and everyone looked at him with sympathy and understanding and a very faint regret, even though they had nothing to feel sorry for. A group of players had even offered to let him go before them in the queue. It was the worst possible scenario and Seb was determined to put an end to it. He didn’t want any of their pity.

“Sebastian, it’s your turn.” Klopp told him and Seb stood up with a nod.

“Okay, I’ll try to keep it short.” He started. Everyone looked at him, and just as he had expected, their interest was shallow. They had already decided how they should behave and they were convinced that their way of dealing with the happenings was the right one. It made Seb’s job harder, but he was up for a little challenge.

“I won’t repeat what happened yesterday, you all know it.” Seb said and everyone looked at Chris sitting in the first row with his eyes cast down. “I’m over it. Shit happens and I’m not the kind of man who will sit in his room crying over his bad fortune. Jürgen has asked me to talk to you and tell you that you should treat me normally, the way you would treat anyone else. Of course, me telling you to treat me normally kind of ruins everything I would like to achieve with my speech, but never mind.” He shot Klopp a cutting glance. The coach returned it, but Seb could see the faintest smile forming on his lips. He had wanted exactly this: Seb to show himself as an uncompromising character who won’t back down, no matter what.

“You treat me any way you want it, as long as it is with the respect I’m trying to show to you.” Seb sighed. “I couldn’t care less about what you think of me as a person. I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to make you better footballers and I believe that it could go easier when our relationship is positive, but it’s not a necessity. I will evaluate you based on your performances and not based on my liking. I want you to do the same with me and we will be fine.

“I haven’t reacted that way yesterday and I want to apologize for it.” He continued and there were a few quiet gasps in the room as if everyone had been surprised that Seb even had something to apologize for. “It wasn’t professional at all and I will try hard to work on my temper. My only excuse of a sort is that the insult I had to endure was deeply personal. But, I don’t want to go into policies and political correctness. As I’ve said, you can have your own opinion of me as a person, but please be kind enough to keep that opinion to yourselves, alright? We are here to create a great working environment and any unnecessary distraction will make it harder.”

A few seconds of silence followed as Seb was thinking hard to decide whether he had left out anything. “I guess that’s it for me.” He finally said. “And don’t you dare applaud me, Erik!” He scolded his friend who was already lifting his hands to clap. His last remark brought a split second of cheerfulness into the room and a few players started chuckling. The others stared at Seb bewildered, trying to understand what he had tried to get through. He knew that he had left behind a few questions, but it had been his intent. He didn’t want anyone to learn how to behave in the proper way, because he simply didn’t think that there was one. As long as no one was going to offend him the way Chris had done, even if unintentionally, he was happy with whatever the players had for him, especially because he was sure that there would come a time again when he wouldn’t be the prime example of good behavior, either.

“Thank you, Sebastian.” Klopp took over from him. “It truly was a spirited speech and I think we can all agree that you are right with what you said.” Seb pulled a face. “Now, if there’s nothing else–”

“There is.” Chris sprung up and turned around to face his teammates. “I want to say something.”

“Christ, there’s really no need to–” Seb muttered calmly.

“No, there is!” Chris shook his head. “Yesterday, I did something that I must explain to the guys, even if there isn’t a real excuse for my deeds. Will you please let me ease my mind?” He turned to Klopp, waiting for encouragement from him. For a few seconds, the coach bit down on his lips, going over the possibilities in his head.

“Okay, go on.” He nodded.

“Thank you.” Chris whispered and then raised his voice. “Yesterday, I did something awful that I feel deeply ashamed of. I’ve brought shame to not only myself, but to this team, to this club. I offended not only you, Mister Kruse, but also every member of this club.” He said, addressing Erik with his last sentence. “I am sincerely sorry for it. I know that there is no way to make up for my behavior and I won’t even try. Believe me, it was hard for me to look in the mirror last evening or this morning. I was awake the whole night thinking about what I really did and the conclusions weren’t pleasant.

“I feel like I’ve betrayed you and everything we stand for. Excuse me, Mister Kruse, but I don’t agree with you. We are not here just to play football or make football. We have a responsibility to show good example to our fans. A responsibility I came to understand only last night. Yesterday, I let everyone down. We’ve already discussed it with Mister Kruse and closed this incident and I am truly grateful for him giving me a second chance. But I do believe that I owe you an apology, too. So I say sorry to every member of the squad, to our coaching staff and everyone who is connected to this club. I feel that this is the right thing to do and from now on, I promise that I will focus on football, Mister Kruse, but I also have to understand my responsibility not only as a player but as a human being. I will try to be the best I can be and I hope that you all will give me a chance to prove myself.” He stammered and collapsed onto his seat.

“Wow, it looks like little Chris grew up!” It was Adrian Newman who overcame his shock first. “It’s okay, lad! I couldn’t understand what you did and why you did it, and I still don’t, but I think you expressed perfectly how we all feel after yesterday. And if Mr. Kruse has forgiven you, I think that we don’t have much to say to you. Right, guys?” He turned to his teammates. There were a few quiet hums in the room and a few players nodded their heads and Seb could see Chris relax a little bit.

“That’s the sort of reaction I was hoping for.” Klopp took charge of the meeting again. “I am proud of you as a team and hope that in the future, we will overcome every problem like this. Now, if there’s nothing else, I think we can progress to–”

“There’s one more thing.” Seb stood up and everyone shot him a curious glance. They weren’t used to him speaking on his own, at least not when he didn’t have to. Klopp signaled with a short nod that the stage was his. “When I came to United, I told you to call me Seb. So stop with this Mr. Kruse nonsense, because I’m feeling as old as Jürgen is and I’d like to enjoy my relative youth if you don’t mind.” He said with a mischievous grin spreading on his face. The whole room burst out laughing with Klopp taking the lead. The roaring laughter of the footballers echoed between the walls, a sign of carefree cheer that had seemed impossible only an hour earlier.


	20. Coming Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this update was late a little bit, real life was demanding this week, but I promise that I will post the next chapter on time and hopefully it will make up for this little delay. :-)

_one week later_

 

Seb could barely recognize Marco’s academy when the taxi that took him there from the airport stopped in the small parking lot. He couldn’t quite grasp what was different about it, but he knew that it wasn’t visible. He had seen the building after the renovation was done and everything looked completely the same and yet, everything _felt_ different. He handed the driver a bill and grabbed his bag before he got out of the car with a sigh. He was home.

The rest of the training camp had been a success. They had managed to compete with the biggest clubs in football and had won the friendly competition that had been meant to attract more fans in America and also get them ready for the season. After two weeks of intensive work, it seemed that they were ready. The players had adapted well to the new expectations they had to face, mostly because the system Klopp had created for them suited them so well.

Seb had been left with patching the little insufficiencies. He loved it. He had always loved immersing himself in the details and he couldn’t get bored of analyzing their matches, going over them frame by frame, taking notes on the players’ positioning and their average performance. They were still far from the desired quality, but it was understandable after a coaching change. It would have been unrealistic to expect the team to play without mistakes right the first day. Actually, they would never get flawless and Seb knew it. All Klopp and he wanted was to have a team that was ready to face the challenges of the first few games in the season and have the ability to get better and learn from the probable blunders. In that regard, they had done a perfect job and now, he was looking forward to a day of rest.

And surprising his boyfriend. He walked through the parking space and entered the small building. The moment he stepped inside, he recognized what was so different about the place. The building was filled with life. There was the very small amount of litter that was left behind after each cleaning, no matter how hard you tried, and was just enough to tell you that people actually were here day after day. The walls bore witness to the same life and even though there was no sign of activity in the empty corridor now, Seb could see the success of his love and he had to smile when he remembered the excited voice of Marco during each of their talks. The same voice that turned serious and caring and concerned whenever Seb started to tell a report of his day.

He hadn’t managed to convince Marco that the problem with Chris had been resolved and put behind. The blond had stayed wary, no matter what Seb had said. That’s why it was so important for them to see each other again. Words couldn’t tell how he really felt, but a single look could surely make Marco believe that Seb was fine. Because he was. He was finally welcome and accepted in the team, and it wasn’t a shallow acceptance out of pity and sympathy. He had fought hard to gain the players’ trust, working almost all day long to show them that he was in his position for a merit and he had succeeded. Now, he was only looking forward to share this happiness and success with his boyfriend. And seek other pleasures…

 

* * *

 

Her lips were so sweet and soft. Her tongue moved so elegantly in his mouth and her scent filled his nostrils. He had to gape for air because he couldn’t get enough of the wonderful human being so close to him. She was in his arms and he didn’t want to let go of her. Instead, he pulled her closer if that was even possible and his hands wandered lower on her back, his brain stopping him just at the spot where a single inch more would have meant indecency.

They sped up their kiss, their tongues dancing to a faster rhythm and their noses crashing together a few times. Their cheeks were rosy from the heat between them and their pupils were blown with desire. Her beautiful black hair was tousled. He had tousled it, but she still looked perfect like that. It was the perfect moment and he never wanted it to end, but it was brought to an abrupt finish when the door to the storeroom was open. She pushed him away from her and they looked at the unwanted visitor with dread.

“Um, hi!” Seb greeted them with an amused smile. “Sorry to interrupt, but I was looking for your uncle. He’s not in his office. Any idea where I can find him?”

“I guess he is on the pitch with the kids.” Nico muttered with a hoarse voice. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the long-lasting kissing or his shock.

“Thanks.” Seb snickered. “Just pick up where you left off, but this time” he reached forward and got the key to the storage room, “why don’t you lock the door, first?” He threw the little metal to Nico. The teenager caught it and cast his eyes down. The raven-haired coach closed the door and his chuckle could be heard from the corridor.

“Now that’s perfect!” Judy snapped. “Why haven’t you locked the door in the first place?”

“I forgot it, okay?” Nico defended himself. “I was busy with you pulling me here.”

“You really should have thought of that!” She shot him an accusing glance. “What if he tells your uncle about us?”

“Seb?” Nico asked. “Nah, I think that our secret is safe with him.” He said and started off towards the door, putting the key in the lock.

“What are you doing?” Judy exclaimed.

“Locking the door.” Nico answered simply, looking at the girl as if he wasn’t sure what she didn’t understand.

“Do you think that I can go on after this?” She reproached him.

“Okay, what should we do, then?” Nico put his hands on his hips.

“ _We_? I won’t do anything. You’ll go after him and talk with him about us!”

“ _Me_?” Nico cried out, horrified.

“Well, you’re the boy!” Judy pointed out, although Nico didn’t get why that was an argument.

“Judy, I know Seb. He’s a cool guy and won’t talk to Marco, I promise.” He tried to get close to his girlfriend and snuggle with her. She looked still mad at him, but she let him fling his arm around her slim waist and bury his head in the crook of her neck, his tongue teasing the soft skin there. “And even if he did… Marco’s not my father, he can’t tell me who I can see. Not even my father can do it.”

“Yes, but he is my boss and I don’t think he would be very glad to see his nephew kissing with a colleague.” She rolled her eyes.

“That’s stupid.” Nico reassured her. “He won’t say a word. But maybe we can tell him about us, what do you say? Tomorrow. Tonight we have something else to do, right?” He purred.

“Urgh!” Judy pushed him away again. “ _We_ won’t tell him about us. _You_ will do and do it tonight, understood? I guess you’ll have a big family dinner anyways.”

“Why are you so mean to me?” Nico sighed in feigned agony, but his voice turned sweeter in a split second. “And yet, why do I love you so much?”

“No, you won’t get out of this with compliments, Nico.” Judy shook her head. “You need to talk to Mr. Reus. Tonight.”

 

* * *

 

The children chased the ball with joyful shouting and Marco had to try hard to stop himself from grinning because they would have thought him insane for sure. Jerry gave out instructions with confidence and patience. The first few days had been a bit rocky, but they had found their roles since. Marco was grateful that Mario had told him about Jerry. The coach wasn’t the most pleasant human being, but he was passionate for his job and great with kids. It had been obvious to Marco that he had been fired so many times because of his rather uncommon methods and not his attitude.

They have become the perfect duo easily. Marco planted the love for the game in the kids and Jerry explained them all the technical stuff. He did that amazingly. Marco still remembered his first coach and he thought of her with love, but seeing Jerry he was sure that he would have had a hard time deciding whom of these two he would choose as his first coach if he had had to start his career again.

The kids loved him, too. They were mainly Ronnie’s age, ten or eleven and they appreciated the kindness Marco and Jerry showed to them. They had spent most of their lives between the orphanage’s walls and now they finally had the opportunity to enjoy a careless few hours fooling around. Marco had no illusions. He knew that not many of them would become professional footballers, if any, but it wasn’t his goal. He simply wanted to make their lives better and show them how football could help them become a better person.

“They are getting better already.” Jerry walked to Marco and the blond nodded. Under their wings, the children had recognized the need for some kind of structure in their play and instead of a bunch of kids running after the ball wherever it was, now they saw early signs of positioning. Marco was focused on them and was immersed in his thoughts and that’s why he didn’t hear the coach’s next sentence.

“Huh?” He shook his head as if he wanted to shake the warm feelings out of himself.

“I said that you have a visitor.” Jerry pointed his finger at a figure standing in the academy building’s back door.

Marco didn’t need to see the newcomer’s face to recognize him. Seb! He started off towards him with faltering steps. He sped up as he got closer to his boyfriend and now he saw his features. He hadn’t changed a bit and yet he looked so different. A mischievous smile played in the corners of his lips, but Marco couldn’t miss the signs of the last two weeks making him more serious, more mature somehow. The kids were still too busy with the game and they couldn’t care less about them and Marco was grateful for it. When he was only a few steps away, Seb dropped his bag and opened his arms.

“Seb!” The blond cried out as he jumped into his love’s embrace. “What are you doing here?” He croaked out in his happiness.

“Should I go back to America?” Seb frowned, chuckling.

“No! I mean, why haven’t you told me that you were coming? I could have picked you up at the airport!”

“I wanted to surprise you.” Seb said seriously, looking deep in the eyes of Marco before he stole a chaste kiss from the blond. “Plus, I wanted to see you in action.”

“You definitely surprised me!” Marco laughed. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to Jerry!” He tugged at his boyfriend’s hand, but Seb was an immovable rock.

“I was hoping that I could spend some time with you. Alone.” He purred with the sound of a predator. He pulled Marco into a hug again, maybe a bit tighter than it was called for. “Can’t you leave a bit earlier today?”

“Seb, I’d like to, but the kids…” Marco drawled. “Why don’t you wait for me in the office? We’ll be done in half an hour. After that, I’m all yours, I promise.”

“I’ve spent two weeks away from you, flew hours and came here with a taxi right away just to have to wait for you thirty minutes more?” Seb pouted like a small child.

“Half an hour, babe.” Marco repeated and planted a peck on Seb’s cheek. “Not a second more.” He promised and then he turned around and returned to the pitch.

 

* * *

 

They had a big dinner, just like Judy had said, although Nico wasn’t sure if Marco and Seb saw him at all. They kept exchanging wistful and loving glances. The teenager rolled his eyes, because surely, they could have been more tactful and at least wait with their display of affection a few minutes until he would retire into his room.

He had planned to tell Marco about Judy and him, but he waited for the perfect moment that didn’t seem to come at all. After a few minutes, he had enough of watching his nephew and his boyfriend and stared into his plate instead.

“So, Nico, how do you like the world of work?” Seb finally asked. Nico jerked his head up, taken aback. He tried to swallow down the huge lump in his throat, but all he managed was an audible gulp. He had been sure that Seb wouldn’t tell Marco anything and yet he had this strange feeling. Maybe Seb was trying to help him by leading him towards telling his uncle everything?

“Fine. Although it’s a bit exhausting sometimes.” He answered.

“Oh, please.” Marco snorted. “You barely worked in the first week, and even since we have kids to teach, you mostly sit through the days and all you do is inflating footballs. I hardly call it laborious.”

“Marco!” Seb reproached his love. “I’m sure Nico is doing a great job, and he must find ways to keep himself busy during the days, right?” He winked at the teenager who turned whiter than the wall in a split second. He couldn’t miss Seb’s ambiguous remark and he shot a worried glance at his uncle to make sure if Marco got the hint, too.

“Nico, are you alright? You seem sick.” The blond asked, apparently clueless about what exactly Seb had been talking about.

“Yes, I’m just tired.” Nico croaked out, pushing away the plate. “I’ll go up to my room, if you don’t mind.” He stood up and stumbled out of the dining room.

He felt dizzy and he had no idea, why. He loved Judy with all his heart and she was the first serious love in his life, maybe that’s why he was so afraid to tell Marco about it. He was sure that Marco wouldn’t say anything bad about them, but he also knew that the blond would freak out and probably tell Nico’s parents, what seemed to be the worst possibility right now. They had met only days before and Nico was sure that his conservative parents wouldn’t approve of their newly and very quickly found love. Nico wasn’t the one to accept his parents’ decisions and involvement in his life with his tail between his legs, but he cared about them enough to not be able to ignore them completely and he would have felt so much better if he could see Judy knowing that his parents didn’t have anything against them. Even if this love would last only a summer.

He rushed into his room and got his mobile phone out of his pocket as soon as the door closed behind him. His heart was racing and he could hear his blood pumping in his ears. He opened the window quickly as he waited for his call to be answered. He was nauseous and he felt like he could throw up any moment. The worst thing was that he didn’t even know why he was so anxious. It’s not like he had told Marco anything. Maybe it was exactly the uncertainty that troubled him so much.

“What’s up, Nico?” Judy picked up the phone. “What did he say?” Nico could hear the same nervousness in her voice.

“I didn’t tell him.” He admitted right away.

“What?” She snapped. “Nico, you promised that you would talk to him! You–”

“I know, okay?” Nico raised his voice, too. “I screwed it up! Satisfied?” He groused.

“What’s wrong?” Judy changed her tune immediately, sensing that something was wrong with her boyfriend.

“Seb came home.” Nico said. To him, this explanation was more than enough, but Judy needed more.

“I know. He kind of caught us in the middle of making out.”

“But you don’t see these two…” Nico rolled his eyes. “They could barely take their eyes off each other the whole evening.”

“Really? Uh, that’s so romantic…” She drawled with a wistful sigh.

“Then come over and you can watch it. I would change it for anything!” Nico grumbled. “Can’t we go out somewhere?”

“Nope. Mom wants to go to cinema with Dad and I have to look after my little bro.” Judy said.

“That’s perfect, then! No old folks to trouble us.” Nico tried, but Judy dispelled his illusions very quickly.

“Yes, but knowing my brother’s ability to keep secrets, tomorrow not only your uncle will know about us, but whole Manchester. If not the country.” She added. “Just try to hold on until tomorrow. We’ll meet in the morning and talk about how we should tell about us to our parents.”

“A-a.” Nico shook his head. “Talking to my folks is not an option. They are already mad that I lied about me coming here and Marco being okay with it. Just imagine what I would get if they learned that I already picked up a girl.”

“Hey!” Judy exclaimed offended.

“Even if that girl is the most wonderful and beautiful human being who has ever walked on the surface of this planet.” Nico finished his thought.

“You certainly know how to please a lady.” Judy laughed wholeheartedly. “Now stop worrying and relax. Everything will be fine. You yourself said that Mr. Reus wouldn’t say anything.”

“Yes.” Nico sighed. He wanted to believe his own words and yet, he couldn’t ignore the bad feeling in his guts.


	21. We'll Be Quiet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to share this chapter with you tonight, I hope you will like it, please let me know in the comments. Dear GoForGoals, I hope that this is similar to what you wanted to read. :-)

Marco looked in the direction where Nico disappeared for long moments. He didn’t understand his nephew’s sudden change of mood and he had the bad feeling that he was missing something. Something that Nico and Seb understood and if there was anything that Marco hated, it was when he was left out of things, remaining the only one who had no idea about what was going on around him. But, his boyfriend’s presence made him forget about his annoyance very quickly. Just another tender look from Seb had his heart full of love and his body with a warm feeling that didn’t seem to be able to vanish.

Marco was aware that they hadn’t been very thoughtful with Nico and for a second, he thought that the teenager had only had enough of them and it was understandable. But, they simply couldn’t hold back. Not even their relatives could understand the close connection they shared and almost two weeks spent thousands of miles apart had felt like an eternity and they were sitting at the dining table with the urge to make up for the wasted time.

“You cooked the dinner, I’ll do the washing-up.” Marco stated after they finished their meals.

He stood up from the table and grabbed his and Seb’s plate, starting off towards the kitchen. Soon, the raven-haired coach followed him with the remainder of the food. They worked in silence but their minds were connected. Marco had a very good suspicion about what Seb was thinking about and his boyfriend validated his guesses with his hand brushing against the blond’s ass whenever he had to pass him on his way to the fridge.

“Do you need a pair of helping hands?” Seb suddenly stopped behind him, wrapping his arms around Marco’s waist and purring straight into his ear.

“No, thanks. I’m managing on my own.” Marco smiled and drew his head back just to get enough space to place a peck on Seb’s cheeks. His love had become an amazing cook in the ten years they had been living together and he deserved compliments for the delicious dinner he had prepared for them.

“I fear you misunderstood me, Marco.” Seb smiled at him and pressed his head in the crook of Marco’s neck. He gripped the soft skin with his teeth and pulled at it carefully because he licked his way up to the blond’s earlobe, circling his earcuff and whispering. “I want you to be done with this as soon as possible, so we can move things into the bedroom.”

Marco’s hand stopped mid-movement and he dropped the wisp and the plate hit the bottom of the sink with a loud bang. Were his ears deceiving him? Seb couldn’t possibly say that! He turned around quickly, but he only saw lust in those dark black eyes, telling him that his boyfriend was thinking exactly about what he had feared.

“Seb!” Marco whispered, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear what they were talking and talking about sex itself was a shameful activity. “Nico’s home!” He reproached his boyfriend.

“Yes, I know. We’ve just had dinner together.” Seb said in his usual manner. Marco knew very well that Seb got what he had meant and he was only playing the ignorant. The difference between them was, that despite Seb knowing what Marco was referring to, he saw no reason why they shouldn’t carry on with their love life even though the blond’s nephew was staying just a few walls away from their bedroom.

“Please, we can’t do _that_ with him around!” Marco scolded him, his voice still only a whisper.

“Marco Reus!” Seb raised his voice. “I’ve flown eight hours to come home only for you telling me to wait half an hour for you. I was okay with that. I cooked dinner for us and I had no problems with it. But I’ve spent two weeks away from you, I’ve promised you a proof of my affection and I’m horny. You won’t tell me that we won’t have sex tonight!” He said blatantly and Marco listened to his statement with a dropped jaw. When he tried to object, only unintelligible stuttering left his lips, mostly because Seb’s determination had turned him on more than he could tell and his mind was full of images of them wriggling on the sheets passionately. “Nico isn’t that innocent anymore, but if you are concerned about your nephew hearing us, you will have to come up with a way to keep silent because there’s no way that I will go to bed without getting my fill.”

Marco’s power left him and his knees buckled because all the blood in his body moved into his groin where he was dealing with a raging hard-on. Seb’s raw voice touched all the right spots in his brain that sent him into the same anticipation and desire his boyfriend was experiencing. Before he knew it, he crashed their lips together, forgetting about the dirty plates, already on their way to their bedroom.

He slid his hands under Seb’s T-shirt and felt his naked skin under his fingertips. Finally! It had been so long since he could do that the last time. He had almost forgotten how wonderfully his boyfriend felt. Seb was as eager to remind himself of the pleasures Marco and he shared, because he kissed the blond without caring about bruising his thin lips. His tongue seemed to be trying to get down Marco’s throat as he claimed the soft cavern of his mouth. One hand he ran through Marco’s hair, but it was the last thing Marco could care about, because with his other hand, Seb was already exploring his butt crack.

They made their way into their bedroom without being noticed by Nico and that’s when they parted, panting for air. Marco ran to the bed and slumped down on it, waiting for Seb to follow him, but the raven-haired hesitated and looked around as if he was searching for something.

“What are you doing?” Marco frowned at him.

“Nothing.” Seb said as his face lit up with discovery. He strode over to the nightstand and got the key that locked the bedroom’s door. They had never used it, but Marco agreed that this was the time when they should start doing so.

“So where was I?” Seb purred as he climbed onto the bed next to Marco. He smiled at the blond and then grabbed his hair and tilted his head backwards so he could charge his sensible neck. He placed his lips on the soft skin and started to suck on it, leaving a hickey there, but Marco was too far away in his lust to really notice it. He wanted Seb to take him, he needed Seb to take him and he couldn’t have cared if his boyfriend was going to tear his clothes off him. Maybe he would even enjoy it.

In the end, he couldn’t even tell how the raven-haired ridded him of his T-shirt. All he registered was him lying on the soft mattress, his arms spread out high above his head and pinned to the bed with Seb licking his pale skin that had goosebumps all over it. Seb’s stubble scratched his skin, but Marco didn’t mind at all because the little burning feeling told him that his love was finally at home and close to him. He kept licking the blond’s body, his arms, his chest, his abs, his armpits with the short fair hair and he ended his little tour with sucking on the sensitive nipples. Marco was already half-way out of his mind and he had doubts about his ability to keep it down to not give themselves away to Nico.

Seb released him for a moment to take his own T-shirt off and show his upper body to Marco. He hadn’t changed much. Despite Seb never being a sportsman, he had remarkably worked-out muscles that hadn’t vanished with the years. In fact, Seb had become the more active one from the two of them. Marco let his eyes take in the beautiful sight, all the clean lines accentuating Seb’s strength. He kept looking lower and lower until he came to a barrier in the form of Seb’s jeans just below the narrow line of dark hair leading from Seb’s navel to the one part of his body that Marco craved for so much.

But Seb had other plans. He grabbed Marco by his hips and lifted him a little bit, pulling his trousers off along with his underwear. The blond was naked and his boyfriend examined him with the look of a predator, or a collector who stared at his newest acquisition with pride and a mixture of fulfillment and satisfaction.

“I see I’m not the only eager one here.” He smiled smugly when he lowered his head and kissed Marco’s rock-hard cock. A drop of pre-cum was already glistening in the faint light of the streetlight outside and Marco felt like a teenager during his first time, being too excited to control his own desire. But, Seb was mostly to blame. He had come to know Marco’s every desire and how he ticked. There was no way that he wasn’t teasing him on purpose.

Seb opened his mouth wide and swallowed down Marco’s entire length. A cry of one hundred percent pleasure wanted to escape Marco’s throat, but he managed to remember his nephew and stop himself in the last moment, and in the end, he let out a half-embarrassing squeak. Seb halted for a second just to chuckle at him, the vibrations of his vocal chords of course pushing Marco closer to his orgasm.

He was already too close and he had doubts if he could hold back. It was up to Seb, he guessed, because right now, he was dictating the tempo of their lovemaking and Marco saw no chance that he would be able to do anything on his own accord until Seb would get what he wanted. Right now, it seemed that he wanted to taste his love, because he didn’t slow down and sped up his movements. He bobbed up and down, picking up the drops of pre-come he milked from Marco with his tongue.

“Seb, darling, I–” Marco wanted to warn him, but Seb only held out his thumb, to tell Marco without words that it was okay.

The blond relaxed and two seconds later, he was coming. His body stiffened and he shot his load down Seb’s throat. It felt like an endless stream and Marco hadn’t even realized that he hadn’t had an orgasm for such a long time; he had been too busy with his life to take notice of his bodily needs. But Seb wasn’t surprised at all. He took everything what Marco could offer and sucked the last drop of cum out of him before he let go of his cock with a plop.

“Come here, darling.” Marco whispered, determined to return the favor to his boyfriend, but Seb shook his head playfully. He leaned closer to give Marco a quick kiss and he also unbuttoned his jeans and wriggled out of them, but he remained kneeling between Marco’s legs and soon he started to pleasure him with his mouth on very different places.

Marco’s perineum was extra-sensitive after his forceful orgasm and he shuddered and moaned after each slight touch from Seb’s tongue. The skillful piece of muscle circled his rosebud and pushed inside just a little bit, making Marco’s entrance gape for more and more, slowly relaxing and opening up. Seb had become a master of preparing his boyfriend and it didn’t take long until his two fingers were sliding in and out from Marco’s tight tunnel.

Marco begged him to take him right there and like that, but Seb didn’t want to hear of it. He crawled over to the nightstand and got out the bottle of lube from there. In the meantime, Marco composed himself a little bit, mustering the little power that was still in his body and started to move. When Seb lay down on the sheets to lube his throbbing manhood up, Marco crept to him.

“I’ll take over from here.” He said and he flung his leg over Seb’s body, straddling him. The raven-haired looked bewildered at him and then he showed him a satisfied grin with all his teeth shining in the dim light.

Marco finally felt some sort of control as he started to lower himself. He knew how eager Seb was to take him, but this time, he wanted to tease his boyfriend for a change. He went slow. Too slow for Seb’s liking, it was apparent in the despair in his eyes. But Marco wanted to enjoy the moment when he felt his love in him again after a long time.

It was magnificent and world-rocking. Seb might have prepared him, but his throbbing shaft stretched Marco to his utmost limit, the pure muscle pumping against his tight walls. They were very close in their relationship and Marco always felt like nothing could get between them, but to experience it literally, becoming one, would forever remain elevating.

He slid lower and lower on Seb’s spear, taking him millimeter by millimeter, right until he was sitting in Seb’s lap, his boyfriend buried in him balls-deep. Only then did Marco start moving up, this time faster. He took things carefully for starters, but after he found a comfortable rhythm, he moved up and down relentlessly, guiding his boyfriend into a state of pure bliss and ecstasy. He sometimes contracted his muscles to press stronger against Seb’s cock, giving him more friction, other times he loosened up and sped up.

It was hot and Marco saw in Seb’s eyes that he agreed with him. A thin layer of sweat formed on both of their bodies and Marco’s hair ended up being tousled, locks of hair sticking together with sweat. But he went on and he soon started to get hard again, his cock obviously ready for some action again. They now chased their orgasms together, until suddenly, Marco stopped.

“Sorry, I can’t go on like this anymore.” He panted, out of breath.

“Getting older, aren’t you?” Seb smirked, but he wrapped his arms around Marco’s waist and he turned him around, lowering him on the bed without pulling out of him. “Let’s see if I can find that one special spot. You’ve been so careful not to grant me access to it.” He purred into Marco’s ear before he started to thrust into him.

He added more force and changed the angle of his intrusion many times. As if he needed it. Marco knew as well as Seb did that he could hit Marco’s prostate with his eyes closed right at the first attempt. They had done this so many times, in both roles, they knew the other one’s body by heart now.

Seb wrapped his left hand around Marco’s cock and started to jerk him off in rhythm to his thrusts. Marco naively gave in to the pleasure and closed his eyes, relaxing and enjoying the tender ministration when Seb suddenly aimed at his prostate and hit it with full force of his body.

“Shit!” Marco couldn’t stop himself from crying out this time and his exclamation was followed by a soft moan that sounded a bit like weeping. He couldn’t see anything around himself apart from stars, stars everywhere.

“Shh! We don’t want Nico to hear us, do we?” Seb mocked him.

“Screw it, do it again!” Marco growled and Seb was pleased to obey, although with a gentler thrust this time.

He started massaging Marco’s prostate and along with his fingers running up and down the blond’s shaft, Marco could feel that it was getting too much and he would lose it again very soon.

“Seb, I’m close.” He croaked out.

“Just a bit longer, love.” Seb answered and slowed down with his ministration of Marco’s proud manhood. He switched to faster but shallower thrusts, getting himself closer and doing everything to make them come together. “Okay.” He finally said and resumed his previous treatment of Marco.

It took him exactly six thrusts to push them over the edge. They came together and came hard. Their bodies shuddered and Seb collapsed on Marco. The blond flung his arms around him immediately and held him closer, as their cocks convulsed over and over again. Seb’s load painted Marco’s walls and Marco’s stuck their sweaty abdomens together. They gasped for air and their nostrils sucked in the air of the room that was full with the scent of sex.

The sweet afterglow finally subsided and Seb rolled off Marco. They stayed like that, staring at the ceiling, lying side by side, their fingers intertwined and a smug smile spread out on both their faces.

“Tell me, Marco” Seb started in the end, in a mocking tone “, since you seem to have gotten old lately, should I expect you to fall asleep right after our lovemakings now?”

Marco let out a lighthearted lough and he punched his boyfriend playfully. “There’s no way that anyone could fall asleep after something this wonderful.” He said and he turned on his side. Seb followed his example and they were lying face to face, their hands brushing over the flanks of their loves.

“So does this mean that you’ve gotten the love confession that you wanted from me?” Seb asked.

“Absolutely.” Marco snickered. “And more than that. I love you so much, Seb. I am the luckiest man to know you by my side and I will never ever let you leave me. I would be a fool to do so.”

“I love you, too, Marco.” Seb smiled at him. It warmed Marco’s heart. “And you don’t have to be afraid that I would leave you. I need you. More than ever and I was a fool not to see it at first time.”

“Did it hurt much?” Marco asked seriously. “When he called you–”

“Shh.” Seb stopped him, putting his index finger on Marco’s lips. “I don’t want to talk about it. Not now. I just want to hold you tight and snuggle close to you and sleep through the night, feeling you right next to me.” He said and that’s what they did.


	22. Complications

To Seb’s uttermost surprise, Nico was sitting at the kitchen table when he walked into the small room, still half-asleep. The teenager greeted him, chewing on the slice of bread he was having for breakfast and buried his head in his tablet immediately after. Seb looked at him observingly, looking for signs telling him that Nico had heard anything during the night. Not that he really cared, he didn’t consider the boy a child anymore, he was sure that Nico was well aware that Marco’s and his relationship didn’t stop at hugs and kisses. But, for some reason, Marco was more careful about these things and would have liked to keep the image of his nephew being innocent. If he had seen Nico and Judy in the storage room the day before, he would have realized that it was already late for that.

“How come you’re up so early?” Seb asked casually, taking out everything he needed for a morning surprise for Marco. He wasn’t the most romantic guy, but he enjoyed seeing Marco’s happy smile whenever he did the slightest thoughtfulness for him. Like bringing breakfast to their bed.

“Couldn’t sleep much.” Nico shrugged without looking at Seb. At first, the raven-haired thought that it was because he didn’t want to imply that he had heard them, but he soon realized that Nico was simply too preoccupied with his own thoughts to be bothered by Seb’s question. Still, this development wouldn’t flatter Marco. They had made love many times that night. An impressive amount for a couple who had been together as long as they had been.

“Anything troubling you in particular?” Seb inquired. He had a very good idea of what was going on in the teenager’s mind, but he remembered his own teenage years and knew that pushing Nico into telling him everything just wouldn’t work. He was right – the boy only shook his head and Seb resumed his preparations. He placed slices of cheese and ham on a plate.

“Um, Seb–” Nico drawled after all.

“Yeah?” He asked, concentrating on squeezing fresh orange juice.

“Is Marco awake?” Nico asked sheepishly.

“He was sound asleep when I checked him.” Seb shrugged.

“About what you saw yesterday…” Nico started, clearly uncomfortable about the topic. “He doesn’t know about it and–”

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” Seb winked at him. “You should already know me well enough to know that.”

“Yes, I do, but the thing is that I think I should tell Marco.” Nico admitted.

“No.” Seb snickered. “ _She_ thinks that you should tell Marco and you are willing to obey. It’s called henpecking, right?” He teased Nico, but he became serious when he saw the teenager’s cutting glance. “Sorry, I’m all ears.”

“Okay, so I want to tell Marco about Judy and me, but I was thinking that maybe you could– you know, hint at it.” Nico blurted out, avoiding eye contact with Seb.

“And how exactly do you imagine that?” Seb said, amused. There was some problem with how people in Marco’s family addressed love. And then, Marco always gave him a sermon about the importance of love and what a great feeling it is. But neither Marco nor Nico considered love wonderful enough to be open about it.

“It’s up to you.” Nico hurried to reassure him. “You don’t have to tell him anything concrete, but maybe you could prepare him psychically for the news. You know, so that he won’t freak out.” Nico suggested.

“My dear Nico!” Seb smiled at him. He walked over to the table and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You need a miracle to make Marco not freak out and not me.”

“Thanks. Your support means a lot to me.” Nico said mockingly.

“He will freak out, but he will calm down after a few minutes. There’s nothing wrong with what you are doing. You came here to Manchester to show your folks that you are mature, right? Then don’t try to hide behind me and send me into the firing line. Just tell Marco without anything extra and it will be fine.”

“But what if he tells Mom? _She_ will definitely freak out.” Nico objected.

“Then she will know that her son is growing up and is interested in girls and has found one for himself. And if you are serious about this relationship with Judy, you won’t care because this love means more to you than what your mother might or might not think. Which, by the way, knowing you, is very probable.” Seb closed the debate. He didn’t wait for Nico’s next _but_ , he grabbed the tray instead and started off towards the bedroom.

Marco was still sleeping, his mouth half-open and his hair tousled. He was beautiful, a sight Seb would never have enough of. He put the tray on the nightstand carefully and climbed on the bed closer to his boyfriend. He snuggled behind him and wrapped his arm around Marco’s chest before he planted a kiss on his cheek. The blond started moving and he rolled on his back. He opened his eyes only slowly but they lit up when he saw Seb. If someone asked Seb what love confession he liked the most, it was exactly this. To know that he still could make Marco happy by simply being next to him in the morning told him more than anything else could have.

“Good morning, babe!” Marco smiled at him and lifted his head just a little bit, asking for another good morning kiss. Seb bent over and gave him one. Marco’s lips were quite bruised after their long kissing sessions in the night but he showed no sign of being tired of the sweet contact with his boyfriend.

“I’ve got a little something for you.” Seb pulled back from him and reached for the tray.

“You are indulging me.” Marco grinned stupidly as he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“I try.” Seb admitted. “Two weeks are two weeks. There’s a lot to make up for the time apart. I thought we could start with a nice little breakfast. And then we could move on to some other things.” He teased Marco.

“Um, I have to go the academy, Seb.” Marco drawled, unwilling to bring his boyfriend down.

“Oh.” Seb said simply, stunned by the realization.

He should have thought of that. Maybe he did, but he gathered that Marco would choose a day with him over work. But the blond’s decision was understandable. His project was on the right track and was growing, he had to be there right now; this was no time for relaxing.

“I’m sorry, Seb.” He said gently as he put an apologetic kiss on his forehead. “But why don’t you come with me? You would enjoy it, could have a look around and we could go for a dinner in the evening.”

“It’s okay, Marco.” Seb forced a smile on his face. “I guess I’ll stay at home and have a little rest. I’m tired after the flight home and I didn’t get much sleep this night.” He grinned and Marco started laughing.

“Oh, did I tire you?”

“If I remember correctly, it was you who needed a break.” Seb hit back and jumped at Marco, not caring about their breakfast falling on the sheets. They rolled around on the bed, their limbs entangled and their lips pressed tightly together until they both were out of breath.

“Are you sure that you don’t want to come with me?” Marco became serious. “It will probably be the day when Keith finally shows up and starts his service. I’m sure that you would know how to talk with him.”

“You wanted to help him out, now bear the consequences.” Seb said and stuck his tongue out. “He’s your responsibility and I really need a bit of rest. Or maybe I’ll go out in the city and have a look around. I haven’t had much opportunity to do that since we came here.”

 

* * *

 

He did so when Marco and Nico left an hour later. He tried to catch some sleep, but the house’s silence was intimidating and he had to turn on the TV. He didn’t find any interesting program and so he changed into casual clothes and grabbed his car keys.

He drove into the heart of the city, taking it slowly, trying to get a feel for the city. He wanted to understand the club he was working for. Of course he had grown up watching Ferguson’s United get title after title and when he became more conscious about football tactics, he admired the coaching legend’s knowledge and skills. He wanted to grasp the essence of the club, what it represented and what it meant to the fans. He had read multiple books about the city and the history of the “Red Devils” but nothing compared to first-hand experience.

He parked down next to a small square with cozy cafés and tea shops on it. There weren’t many people around and those were mostly elders and a few teenagers sitting in a group next to the fountain in the middle of the square. It was a warm sunny day, but Seb still had a coat in his car. It was a habit Marco was adamant on. He always told his boyfriend about the horrible English weather and how quickly it could change and Seb had no other chance but to give in and listen to the blond.

He locked his car and started off for a leisurely walk. He was careless and at ease with himself. It was a wonderful day and the little drive had washed away his fatigue. He spotted a bookshop at the other side of the square. He was cutting through the place, already past the fountain when he heard a voice.

“Mr. Kruse!” He didn’t realize that someone was calling him, until he heard approaching footsteps catching up to him. He stopped and turned around curiously. One of the teenagers was jogging after him and his friends followed him in a smaller pace but they soon were right next to him. “I’m a huge United fan and I was wondering if you could give me an autograph.”

“What?” Seb exclaimed, completely taken aback. He hadn’t expected this and he couldn’t believe what was happening.

“An autograph.” The boy repeated. “I’ve watched the matches in America and the videos from your training sessions and I think that you are a cool coach.”

“Thank you.” Seb blurted out. He didn’t know what to make out of this situation. It seemed so surreal. It was the first time anyone had ever asked him for an autograph. In Dortmund, he had been just a small mouse no one noticed and he had never ever considered this aspect of the progress in his career. “I’m afraid I don’t have a pen.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got one.” The boy smiled, already fidgeting in his pocket until he brought forth a pen and a clean paper. Seb took it from him smiling and scribbled his signature on it with confident movements. Why would he feign it, he was enjoying this attention. “Thank you. I’ve already got my season ticket and I can’t wait for the first home match. It will be a spectacle, I’m sure about that. Kloppo will surely teach the lads how to fight again.”

“We’ll do our very best.” Seb reassured him, sticking to the usual niceties.

“Um, would a photo be too much to ask for?” The boy drawled and that made Seb start laughing. He signaled his fan to stand next to him and waited patiently until one of the teenagers took a photo of them. “Thanks a lot, you truly are a great guy.”

“I’m trying.” Seb laughed and he said goodbye to the group, continuing his walk, but musing about this pleasant encounter.

 

* * *

 

“I’m glad you finally found the way here.” Marco groused when Keith entered his office. The teenager didn’t seem to mind his sarcasm. He walked over to his table with a bored face and put down a paper in front of him.

“Missing your free labor force?” He hit back with the same tone. “You have to sign this.”

“What’s this?” Marco sat up and ran his eyes through the paper.

“An official statement where you acknowledge that I was here and served one day from my sentence.” Keith explained as if this all was completely obvious to him and couldn’t even understand how it could need further elaboration for Marco. The blond checked the text on it and reached for his pen, scribbling his signature at the bottom of the page. “Thanks.” Keith nodded, quickly sinking the paper in his pocket. He turned around, heading out of the office.

“Hey, I haven’t told you what your task is for today.” Marco called after him. The teenager stalled and turned his head back, but didn’t seem a tiny bit interested in Marco’s instructions. The blond had a hard time finding something for Keith after just a few days of a running academy. “You will pick up the trash from the bushes around the parking lot. Go to the storage room and ask for a bag and gloves from Nico, okay?”

“Whatever.” Keith shrugged as he walked out of the office.

Marco shook his head unbelievingly. This wasn’t going according to plan. He hadn’t expected to have an easy time with the rebellious teenager, but he had hoped that he would find a way to Keith’s heart sooner rather than later. He reminded him of Seb a lot and based on his past experience with his love, he thought that he could bring Keith’s walls down without a problem. Now, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

He didn’t have time to deal with it right now, though. Keith arrived with the van taking one group of the kids from the orphanage. Jerry had proposed that they split the kids into two groups based on age, so they could work in a different way with the absolute beginners and with those who were already capable enough to try more complicated movements and exercises. Apart from the orphans, a few more kids had joined the academy, just like Jerry had expected.

They were growing now and Marco was optimistic, but also wary about the future. They still weren’t an established foundation and after the first few weeks of functioning, Marco started to see the flaws of his plans. He had to spend more money than planned and he knew that he couldn’t keep up with this spending for a long time. He was already saving on Nico’s wages, and he would have to replace him with someone at the end of summer. But, he wanted to offer the best environment even for the poor kids and he couldn’t make compromises if he wanted that.

He almost completely forgot about Keith as he watched the smaller kids chasing the ball or listening to Jerry’s explanations. They valued their opportunity so much and it reassured Marco that founding this place was the right decision. The training ended after one and a half hour and it was already nearly noon.

Marco went to tell Keith that he could leave for lunch. He found the teenager sitting on a low brick wall at the edge of the parking spot, emptying a coke can. When he was done, he crumpled the metal and tossed it between the bushes next to the other garbage. The garbage he was supposed to have picked up by now.

“What are you doing?” Marco snapped at him and charged at him as quickly as he could. Keith wasn’t moved by his outburst. He jumped off the wall and pulled his T-shirt down, setting it right. “You pick that can up immediately!”

“Why? I’ll have to pick it up later anyways.” Keith shrugged.

“Yes, you should have done that already!” Marco yelled. He didn’t like it if he was being played with. “Where’s the trash bag?”

“Oh, I knew I forgot something.” Keith feigned fret.

Marco was furious. He had come to Keith’s help driven by goodwill (and maybe because he felt connected to the brothers, especially to Ronnie and wanted to help them), but the teenager was exploiting his help just like Seb had warned Marco. He wished that his boyfriend had accompanied him after all. Seb’s natural charisma and respect would have surely been too much for Keith. But Seb was right: Marco had brought this situation on himself, now he had to deal with it.

“You will pick up the trash right now.” He said as firmly as he could. His eyes were blazing and his body shook with anger, but it was all futile on Keith.

“No.” The teenager answered simply. “I have a lunch break, right?”

“Only after you do what I told you to do!” Marco snapped. He felt so powerless against this little punk and it annoyed him. He was a grown-up, after all. He was twenty years older than Keith and yet, the boy looked down at him and disrespected him without any pangs of conscience.

“Whatever.” Keith repeated what must have been his most used phrase.

“Don’t you think that you will get away with it! You won’t get away from here until you picked up the trash!” Marco shouted in a last attempt.

“This here”, Keith got the paper he had made Marco sign in the morning “says something else.”

He smiled very satisfied when Marco admitted his defeat. How could he be so blind? Keith was playing with him and he had played along all the time. The teenager had to help Marco out for thirty days as punishment, and the blond had signed the paper stating that one of them was already served. It was a cheap trick and it had worked magnificently. Marco fumed and wanted to shout a curse at the teenager, but words got stuck in his throat.

He had to endure this behavior twenty-nine days more. They would be the longest days Marco had ever had.


	23. A Secret Is Revealed

Keith didn’t return after lunch and honestly, Marco didn’t even expect him to do it. After realizing his own stupidity, he was surprised that the teenager had stayed until noon in the first place. Keith’s trick bugged him and in the meantime, he made a promise to himself that he wouldn’t let himself to be played with again. Keith couldn’t be smarter than him. He fell for him once, but it wouldn’t happen another time, no matter what the impudent boy thought. For a moment, Marco mused about collecting the trash himself, but he decided against it. No, that would mean that he was admitting his defeat and he wasn’t willing to do that. The trash would wait for Keith and Marco wasn’t going to sign another paper until the parking lot was clear. He wasn’t even going to tell Seb about this incident. His love would surely tease him if he did, but the most annoying was that Marco would deserve it. How could he be so dense to fall for Keith’s trap? Looking back, it had been so obvious!

He shook his head in his bewilderment and he walked back into the building. He wasn’t hungry and he checked their schedule for the day. They would have a training session for older kids in the afternoon and Marco decided to set everything ready for it. On his way out, he looked wistfully at the ever-growing list of candidates who hoped to get a place at his academy. Once there would be twenty names on that paper, they would have a practice game to see how they did. But, they still needed six more boys and at the pace interested parents came to visit him, it would take another week until they would get close to the desired number.

On his way to the pitch, he passed the equipment room and he heard some muffled sounds coming through the closed door. He stopped for a moment and it happened again. He took a step forward and the sound suddenly ceased and was followed by what he could only think to be whispers. He closed down the distance and put his hand on the doorknob. He tried to turn it, but the door was locked. Strange. He couldn’t remember the storage room ever being locked. He tried again, but without any success.

He turned around, ready to go to his office for the spare key. He was halfway there when the door behind his back was opened. Marco spun around and saw a flushed Nico sneak out of the storeroom. The teenager was literally walking on tip-toes and he was trying to get out through the back door.

“Nico!” Marco called after him and his nephew jumped in surprise. His eyes widened as he turned around and saw the blond approaching him. “How come you aren’t at lunch?”

“Um, I wasn’t hungry.” Nico gulped audibly and looked around scared. There was something very odd about his behavior and Marco was going to find out what was going on. He hated being the last one to know about something.

“I see. And what were you doing in there, locked?” Marco raised an eyebrow. He was very curious about Nico’s answer and it came after a few moments of hesitation, just like the blond had expected. Nico was lying to him and it was so obvious.

“I was– exercising.” Nico hurried to say when he thought that the silence had lasted too long.

“Great.” Marco nodded. For the moment, he decided to play along and pretend that he believed Nico. He was going to get to know everything in a moment anyways. “I’m preparing the pitch for the afternoon training and I need the cones.”

“I’ll get them for you!” Nico shouted shocked. He sprang between Marco and the door just before the blond could open it and Marco looked back at him taken aback. “I mean, I’m not doing anything anyways.” Nico bit down on his lip.

“Oh, please!” Marco waved away his offer. “I have two hands and I’m not going to break them by getting the canes.” He said and stepped next to Nico, turning the doorknob and entering the storeroom. Nico tried to stop him for a final time, but he gave up when his uncle was inside.

And he wasn’t alone. Judy was sitting on the bench in the corner and she looked at Marco frightened. “Hello, Mr. Reus.” She stammered.

“Hi, Judy!” Marco greeted her without realizing what her presence meant.

It took a second for the penny to drop and at that moment, Marco literally froze in one place. He could move only his eyes and they jumped between Nico and Judy. Marco had been so proud of himself that after his unsuccessful treatment of Keith, he was finally in control and saw through Nico, but he had to realize that he was a bit late once again. The pieces of the puzzle found their place and Marco got more and more annoyed.

What had Seb said the evening before? _Nico must have found ways to keep himself busy and he wasn’t that innocent anymore_. How could he be so dense not to notice what his boyfriend had really meant? He had been completely clueless about what was going on in front of him and he ended up being the last one to get the news – again. But why hadn’t Nico told anything to him? And why had he told Seb everything? He was ready to let his anger out on his nephew, but when he caught Nico’s pleading glance, he changed his mind. He couldn’t make a scene right here. Mostly, because thinking about it, there was no real reason to make a scene, but still, he disapproved of what Nico had done and he sent a cutting glance at his nephew. _You won’t get out of this that easily_ , he tried to transport his thoughts without words and Nico looked like he got the message. Then, Marco grabbed the cones and left.

 

* * *

 

“Nico is together with Judy!” Marco cried out with much more drama than it was called for in Seb’s opinion. The coach was lying lazily on the couch and was flipping through a football magazine. The author was analyzing the odds for each team winning the Premiership for the upcoming season. He was wrong, as journalists often were, but Seb found his mistakes amusing. After Marco’s outburst though, he put the magazine aside and sat up, watching as his boyfriend slumped down in an armchair.

“And I landed in Manchester.” Seb added, but he saw in Marco’s raised eyebrows that the blond needed further explanation. “Sorry, I thought we were telling each other the news of yesterday.” He shrugged. It didn’t ease the tension at all. Marco was clearly mad at him, although Seb saw no reason why that would be.

“Could you please tell me how come my nephew trusts you more than me? Why did he tell you about his little romance and keep it a secret from me?” Marco demanded.

“First of all, you shouldn’t mock him and call it a little romance. Secondly, Nico didn’t tell me anything, I caught them by accident at the academy yesterday and lastly, I think he wanted to avoid the overreaction he thought you would have. And looking at you, I must say that his fears were grounded.” Seb remained calm.

“Oh, so in your opinion, it is okay that he sees a random girl?”

“Judy isn’t a random girl, Marco and you know it. You are ridiculous. Nico is old enough to love and choose his girlfriend, whether you like it or not. And quite honestly, I can’t get what you are so upset about. He’s almost grown-up, Marco.”

“The emphasis here is on almost!” The blond said. “And I’m upset about how he hid it. And I’m sure that the next thing he will do is hiding behind my back and asking me not to tell Yvonne about anything!” He snorted.

“That’s great for you, since you weren’t planning to tell her anything, right?” Seb said assertively, with a raised eyebrow.

“He’s seventeen!” Marco exclaimed in a final, weak attempt to prove his point that was quickly being shattered into thousands of pieces.

“Jeez, since when are you so conservative?” Seb rolled his eyes.

“I’m not–” Marco gave in with a sigh, finally sensing that his arguments wouldn’t stand anymore. “It’s just so hard to accept that he has grown up.”

“But, he did.”

“It’s easier for you. I’ve been with him ever since he was born. I watched him make the first steps, utter his first words and I was there at all the important moments of his life. He’s like a child to me.” Marco dwelled in nostalgia. Seb stood up and walked over to him, placing his hand on the blond’s back reassuringly.

“I know. But, you have to accept it. Nico hasn’t done anything bad, on the contrary! He’s a normal teenager and you should be thankful that he is the way he is. If you ask me, he is far from being troubled, no matter what your sister might think.” Seb mumbled.

“I guess Yvonne and you have different views on parenting.” Marco laughed weakly, but Seb could see that there was something on his mind. The blond caught his attentive glance, but the younger one didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. His demanding look was enough for Marco to let his defenses down and open up completely and utter the question that had been troubling him ever since he had seen Nico and Judy together. “Do you think that I should talk to him? I mean, have _that_ talk?”

Seb could keep his serious face for exactly one second before he burst out laughing. Marco shot him a cutting glance. Obviously, he didn’t think the situation as funny as his boyfriend did. But that didn’t seem to trouble Seb, whose roaring laughter lasted for more than a minute before he had to stop completely out of breath.

“Sorry, but your dread was priceless.” He spluttered a quick apology. “Marco, you are so naïve! Nico’s seventeen. Did you need the talk when you were seventeen?”

“I’m not sure I want to answer this question to you.” Marco hesitated and he earned another laughter from Seb with that.

“Why, do you still have something to hide from me?” He teased him as he snuggled close to him. He sat down on the armrest, but Marco quickly pulled him down into his lap, his lips reaching for Seb’s. The raven haired was completely taken aback by the sudden movement and he was left defenseless and Marco reached his goal effortlessly.

“How should I put this…” Marco mused playfully. “You always say that we should keep some mystery in our relationship. Consider it my little secret.” He purred. He wanted to stay calm and control his feelings, but Seb’s hardening member pressing against his abdomen made his task hard.

“Should I keep my day a secret, too?” Seb called Marco’s teasing and raised it, if it was possible at all.

“Why, what happened?” Seb gained Marco’s attention in a split second.

“Well, it seems that you are living with a celebrity.” Seb snickered. “Some United fans stopped me so we could chat. I had to give them an autograph and they took a photo with me. Urgh, it was horrible.” He laughed.

“That’s amazing, Seb!” Marco cheered. “Although, I’m starting to feel jealous. Maybe I’m not your number one fan anymore?”

“Well, there’s definitely something you could do to make me reconsider your position on the list. Maybe you could even secure your top spot.” Seb purred. It was incredible how easily he turned the table on Marco. It was the blond panting with lust now. His pupils were blown as he gazed into the bottomless depths of his boyfriend’s eyes.

“Um, am I disturbing something?” He heard Nico’s voice. He hadn’t expected the teenager to walk in on them. They had come home together, but they hadn’t talked at all and Nico had headed for his room the moment they had arrived. Apparently, he had made his mind up on the same issue that had been troubling Marco. “Could we talk? I mean, the three of us.”

“Yeah, sure.” Seb nodded without moving the least. He was still sitting in Marco’s lap, a position that was a bit uncomfortable for the blond with his nephew watching them. He made sure that his boyfriend knew about it with a gentle pat on his backside. Seb smiled tenderly at him, but he climbed out of Marco’s lap and sat down on the couch.

“Nico, if it’s about Judy and you, I can assure you that it is completely okay. I don’t want to intervene into your private life at all and if you love her, I can only wish happiness for the two of you.” Marco hasted to say, but Nico only smiled weakly.

“It’s not that. At least, not only that…” He drawled and bit down on his lip. He was silent for a minute and then he mustered his courage in the end. “I wanted to thank you two for everything you’ve done for me. This summer already is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I owe you a lot for it. So thank you for letting me stay with you and paying for my expenses and also paying me in the meantime.” He turned to Marco.

“Oh, Nico, it’s okay. You work hard for that money.” Marco waved away his gratitude. Why would he deny it? He was touched by his nephew’s confession. In the end, it seemed that Nico was growing up indeed and he had meant it seriously with wanting to show that he was ready to take bigger responsibility for his life.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Seb shattered all his illusions. Marco shot him an annoyed glance. Nico was being the nicest person he had ever been, why did Seb have to ruin the moment? But, Nico’s answer was an even bigger shock to him.

“Well, Judy’s parents are out of the town with her little brother and I thought– I mean, if it’s okay with you– that I could maybe stay with her for the night.” Nico blurted out. Marco’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What?” He snapped. “It’s absolutely out of question! You are staying here tonight! She’s old enough to spend a night alone.”

“You give up on your full support of Nico’s love very easily, darling.” Seb mocked him. “I have the feeling that Judy’s fear of the dark isn’t the main reason for Nico’s wish to go over to her.”

“That’s what I thought!” Marco cried out annoyed. “And that’s why my answer is a definite no!”

“Um, I’m still here.” Nico tried to calm the debate down.

“Sorry, Nico, but I won’t change my mind on this.” Marco shook his head. “Your mother asked me to take care of you.”

“I can’t believe that you are always hiding behind her skirt, Uncle!” Nico burst out and rushed out of the room.

“Don’t look at me like this, I think he is completely right.” Seb answered to Marco’s look asking for some support and reassurance.

“Yes, of course.” Marco snorted. “You would have them married right away and I guess that you would be Nico’s best man.”

“Very funny.” Seb rolled his eyes. “It’s up to you what you let him to do, I have no say in that. Nico is your nephew after all. But please, don’t try to hide behind what Yvonne has asked from you.”

“Are you mad at me?” Marco asked completely seriously after a minute of silence.

“Why would I?”

“I don’t know. But the way you said that Nico is my nephew… it felt like you didn’t like that I didn’t let you have a say in all this. As if you thought that I didn’t consider you part of the family or something like that.” Marco explained.

“Don’t worry about that, darling!” Seb started to laugh, but it sounded untrue to the blond. Seb noticed his still-existing doubts and he sat back into Marco’s lap, flinging an arm around his neck. “I’ve always felt welcome in your family.” He whispered into Marco’s ear.

“Well, you could easily become an official part of it.” Marco raised an eyebrow. “You could ask me to marry you.”

“And you could do the same.” Seb retorted. It was their inner joke. Seb started it all with making half-suggestions about a possible wedding, mainly because he knew how much Marco longed for one. At first, Marco felt annoyed with this childish mocking, but later he realized that Seb wasn’t completely joking. The proposal was coming and Marco knew it, but he still had to wait a bit longer. He just couldn’t imagine himself asking that all-important question from Seb. Somehow, he felt like it had to be the other way around.

“You know what?” Marco came up with a sudden idea that would put an end to their playful teasing. “Why don’t we propose to each other at the exact same time? You to me and I to you? And we will get married when both of us utters the question at the same time?”

“We’ll be waiting for a long time, then.” Seb laughed, but Marco could see that the thought interested him. Theirs was a special connection and neither of them considered such a scenario too unrealistic. If there was one moment when they were meant to propose to each other, they certainly wouldn’t miss it. “But before that… you promised me a dinner this morning, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Aren’t you afraid of the many fangirls waiting for you outside?” Marco teased him.

“You will be there to protect me, won’t you?”

“Just let me put on some other clothes.” Marco said, smiling. Seb stood up and let his boyfriend leave. The blond didn’t see him typing a quick message that he sent to Nico.

_We’re going away for dinner and I’ll try to keep Marco busy. You have three hours, it should be enough for a movie._


	24. Making Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The newest update is here and I hope that you will enjoy it. Please, feel free to share your thoughts with me, it will help me to make this story as good as possible. :-)

They had had a delicious dinner together and not even Marco’s sulking could have ruined the romantic atmosphere. Seb had had a hard time holding back his complaints, though. The blond was behaving like the boss of a prison, to say the least. It didn’t look like Marco accepted the fact that Nico had grown up. Seb could imagine that it was hard for his boyfriend, but it was about time that Marco stopped denying the reality. It would be better both for him and Nico. Not that the raven-haired had tried to talk him into it. They chatted about general topics, the training camp, Marco’s academy, some little accidents that weren’t amusing at all, but worth sharing with your significant other and all that spiced with inside jokes that made them laugh out loud and earn a few disapproving looks from the other guests sitting nearby.

“Are you finished? Can we go now?” Marco asked the moment Seb put down his cutlery.

“Wow, let me swallow this chunk down.” He put his hands up. “Why are you in such a hurry?” He inquired, although he had a pretty good suspicion. Marco had checked his watch every few minutes during their meal and it was clear that he wanted to get back home as quickly as possible.

“I’d like to talk with Nico when we get home. He needs to understand that what I’m doing is in his best interest.” Marco said.

“No, it isn’t.” Seb said firmly. This was no time to play the nice guy. He sometimes had to go against Marco’s opinion and risk a little row, although he was sure that this wouldn’t develop into one. He hoped that the blond would understand his mistake sooner rather than later. “And you wouldn’t be able to talk to him if we left right now.”

“Excuse me?” Marco snapped. “What do you mean–” he started, but then, the penny dropped. “You bastard!” He cried out, with no real anger in his voice. “You set this dinner up to get me out of the way so Nico could leave without being noticed!”

“Well, it wasn’t planned this way. In the morning, I meant my idea seriously, back then, I hadn’t known what Nico was up to. But it’s nice when things work out, isn’t it?” Seb chatted in his usual tone.

“No, it isn’t!” Marco shook his head. “I can’t believe you, Seb! I’ve told you to stay out of this!’

“And honestly, what chance was there that I would?” Seb’s eyebrow ran up his forehead.

“Well, excuse me for giving a shit about my nephew’s life!” Marco snorted, getting his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’m going to call him right now and tell him to get home.”

“No, you won’t.” Seb said dryly. There was something in the manner he uttered these words that made Marco stop.

“Oh, sorry, I forgot that you are Mister perfect ally and you have Nico’s back all the time.” The blond snapped.

“Doesn’t that trouble you?” Seb asked. “ _You_ are Nico’s uncle and yet, he always comes to me, first. He trusts me more and thinks that I will understand him better than you. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? You are his family, I guess I should be somewhere lower down the rank.”

“That’s because you bought his trust!” Marco spat and by now, Seb had a hard time not to give him an educational slap.

“No, you distanced yourself from him.” Seb wasn’t sure how he managed to keep calm. “I remember a time when you were his confidential friend and you did some crazy things just to upset Yvonne. Until you became a grumpy old man who wouldn’t let Nico do anything on his own.”

“On his own? Are you even listening to yourself? He is seventeen! He can’t stand on his own feet, no matter what he might think.” Marco objected.

“What opinion do you have of him, Marco?” Seb shook his head in disbelief. “He is mature enough to make some decision. I trust him that much.”

“Yes, so why don’t let him stay with his new girlfriend? Do you want to join them and hold the candle why they sleep together?” Marco mocked him.

“They aren’t going to sleep together.” Seb sighed. “Come on, there’s something called a brain in your head, it wouldn’t hurt you if you used it just now and then. He’s seventeen. Do you think he would have been be as calm as he was when he asked you if he could stay with Judy if they were planning to sleep together?”

Marco opened his mouth to utter a hasty answer, but he was left speechless. He must have thought about what Seb had said and come to the same conclusion. The raven-haired allowed himself a conceited smile. They had made the first step, now he only had to push Marco further and make him realize what an impossible person he had been.

“Nico isn’t stupid. He won’t make a mistake like that. They barely know each other with Judy, they need some time. You would know that if you actually talked to him about how he feels. But as things stand, you do everything to scare him away.”

“I just want to protect him from a heartbreak.” Marco admitted sheepishly. “It doesn’t look like they have a big chance of survival. The end of the summer is getting nearer and Nico will have to go back to Dortmund. And then…”

“Then they might break up, and Nico will feel bad about it for a few weeks, making him a normal teenager. But he will move on.” Seb said as if he was explaining the natural course of things in the world. “You can’t protect him from everything and neither can Yvonne. Trouble will find him and the least you can do is to be there for him when he needs it the most.”

“Since when are you an expert in parenting?” Some of Marco’s defiance had returned.

“I am not an expert.” Seb laughed. “But I remember what it feels like to be a teenage boy. A lot of things change in and around Nico and he doesn’t understand half of them. He is confused and needs some guidance. He doesn’t need someone who makes all his decisions for him. I know what it feels like to grow up without supporting parents. I wouldn’t wish it to my worst enemies and I certainly don’t wish it for Nico.”

“But it’s so hard…” Marco gasped. “I mean, it feels like just days ago, he was a toddler and I was watching his first careful steps. And now, I see a half grown-up man, and it is crazy.”

“I know.” Seb said emphatically. “But there’s nothing else for you to do if you want to maintain a good relationship with him. You don’t have to be his father. Just be a good friend of him and that’s it. Teenagers can be scary, but sometimes all they need is a pair of attentive ears.”

Marco stared at him for another minute, but then, his tensed shoulders relaxed and he slumped back in his chair. He looked at his phone in amazement and when he finally glanced at Seb, the raven-haired saw that he had won this argument. Marco finally realized how he had acted and seemed to be ready to make things right again.

“On a scale of ten, how much have I made a fool out of myself?” He asked.

“Seven.” Seb shrugged. He knew that Marco wanted the truth and he could wrap it in a way that would make the blond laugh. “Seven and a half. Maybe leaning into eight.”

“Oh, god!” Marco rubbed his face and then chuckled. “I’m an idiot!”

“No, you’re just afraid of the man Nico is set to become. But I guess it is normal. You were much closer to the boy Nico than I ever was, so it’s understandable to let go of that image of him.” Seb reassured him.

“You are right.” Marco nodded. “I will call him and tell him how sorry I am.” He reached for his phone, but Seb grabbed his hand in the air.

“Okay, lesson number two: teenagers want someone to listen to them, but don’t want someone to talk to them unless they want to have a chat.” Seb laughed. “Let him stay with Judy tonight, and you can talk to him tomorrow.”

“But if I don’t call him,” Marco shook his head “he will think that he has to come back home.”

“Oh, Marco!” Seb burst out, amused. “Just when I thought you have gotten the hang of how teenagers work and think… Nico won’t miss any sleep over going against your will. He will probably get back early at dawn. At least, that’s what I would have done in his place.”

“Right, because I can imagine you listening to your parents and getting back home before dark.” Marco snorted.

“Excuse me?” Seb put his hands on his hips, with feigned resentment. “Wouldn’t you have loved to have a boyfriend back then who would climb up your house’s wall and crawl through the open window in the middle of the night?”

“Yeah, sure!” Marco laughed. “Honestly, I can’t imagine you ever doing that for someone. You had to be the kind of guy who knocks on the front door and boldly asks the parents to let you in because you want to see your love.”

He did not expect Seb’s reaction. The playful sparkle died in the younger one’s eyes and he cast his look down, staring at his fingers. Marco realized that he must have given a pretty accurate description of Seb’s teenage self, and Seb must have thought that by that, he had let him down. This sincere regret warmed Marco’s heart. He reached over the table, put his hand under Seb’s chin and lifted his head.

“Hey, I think that it is much cooler.” He said, smiling and it seemed to work on Seb, as well.

“Are we still in a hurry, or do we have time for dessert?” Seb winked at him.

 

* * *

 

Marco woke up in a cold bed, although he was pretty sure that he had fallen asleep in Seb’s arms. There was no way that his boyfriend could move a single limb after the passionate encounter they had shared, this time without restraints. Of course, Seb had been right and Nico wasn’t dying to get home. But then, where was Seb?

Marco took a deep breath, expecting to smell breakfast in the making, but there was nothing of that sort. It was too early for it, anyways. The sun had barely started to come up and the world outside was still gray. Marco turned on his other side and checked the clock. It was a few minutes past five. He sat up in the bed and got up. He stumbled down the stairs after checking Nico’s room, just to be sure, but there was no sign of the teenager in there.

He found Seb in the living room, spread out on the couch as much as he could. His black strands pointed in every possible direction and he was sleeping very deeply. He covered his body only with a thin blanket. The English summer wasn’t as warm as the German one and the blanket was pulled right up to his chin. Marco tiptoed over to him, crouched down and gently stroke his cheeks. Seb fought the contact, but slowly, he woke up and half-opened his eyes.

“Seb, darling, what are you doing here?” Marco whispered.

“Trying to sleep, but a maniac just woke me up.” Seb grumbled, squirming on his other side.

“But why aren’t you sleeping in our bed? Is something wrong?” Marco asked concerned.

“You were snoring.” Seb said. It was clear from his voice that he was already on his way back to the realm of dreams.

“I always snore.” Marco smiled.

“Not this loud.” Seb shook his head.

“Come on, let’s get back to bed, it’s still early.” Marco tried to pull down the blanket, but Seb wouldn’t let go of it.

“There’s no way I’m getting back to that ruckus.” Seb objected. “With all respect, a man’s gotta have his sleep.”

Marco saw that there was no way that he could convince Seb. He couldn’t take him seriously, because the next moment, Seb was asleep again. Marco had a harder time copying him. He tossed and turned for ten minutes, before he gave up. He couldn’t go back to sleep alone in his bed, knowing that Seb was sleeping a floor lower. He dressed up and was about to go jogging when a key turned in the front door’s lock and Nico snuck in. He looked surprised to see his uncle standing a few steps away from him.

“Oh, hi, Marco!” He gasped. “How come you are already up?”

Just a day earlier, Marco would have yelled at him and accuse him and tell him how worried he had been about him and how could Nico be so inconsiderate and leave without a word. But, that would have been another mistake and he had made enough of them. He took a deep breath and smiled at his nephew as friendly as he could.

“Can we talk, or do you want to go to sleep?” He asked.

“It’s okay, I’m not tired.” Nico said. There was a tangible tension between them, and Marco couldn’t understand how come he hadn’t realized it. They were talking to each other as if they were strangers. He nodded and started off towards the kitchen, Nico following him, closely. “Listen, Uncle, I want you to know that we haven’t done anything stupid. We just watched a movie and then went to sleep, I swear.”

“I know, Nico.” Marco sighed. He hadn’t thought that this talk would be so hard. “I’m sorry that I haven’t trusted you in the first place. I haven’t been treating you well since you came to England, and I want to apologize for it.”

“Okay…” Nico drawled. He was wary and expecting a telling off any moment. Marco hated himself for it. What kind of person he was in his own nephew’s eyes?

“I mean it.” Marco emphasized. “I haven’t given you enough credit. I considered you a little kid, but you aren’t a young boy anymore. You are almost grown-up and I shouldn’t have doubted that.”

He was surprised how much his own words had overwhelmed him. It was as if these thoughts had long been in him, but a part of his mind had suppressed them and now that they emerged, they moved him. He had thought that admitting that Nico had grown up would leave him with a feeling of emptiness. Instead, he now felt pride above all. Yes, his little nephew had grown into a man and it was the most wonderful thing Marco could imagine.

“You came here because you had enough of Yvonne’s control and I have been giving you the same medicine. I promise you that I will do my very best to let you enjoy the rest of your stay here. What do you think, can it work?” Marco smiled at Nico shyly.

“Um, yeah, I guess–”

It was obvious that Nico didn’t know what to do in this case. He was taken aback by Marco’s confession and promise. He had reassured Judy all night long that it would be alright and Marco wouldn’t be mad at him, but he hadn’t quite believed it. And now, it turned out that it was so, in the end. Of course, Nico knew who he had to thank for this sudden change. Not that he was going to play down his uncle’s sudden turn because of that.

“I’ll be honest with you, Uncle, you shocked me with this.” He laughed and it eased the tension between them. “But I believe that you mean it seriously and you really want to start over. I admit that I haven’t been the easiest case and haven’t made your situation any easier. It would be great if we could start all over.”

“I’m relieved to hear that.” Marco let out a sigh of relief and for a moment, he mused about who of the two of them had feared this meeting more. Nico certainly looked less shaken, but maybe it was only because he could hide his feelings better. “And please, don’t worry about Judy and you. Contrary to what I did, I really support you and I am happy for you. And if you ever a need a place to go, the doors are open for you.”

“Thanks, that’s… that means a lot.” Nico said.

“I will tell the same to Judy. She looked afraid when I caught you yesterday…” Marco promised.

“No!” Nico cried out so suddenly that Marco sprang back in surprise. “I mean… there’s no need for you to talk to her. I will tell her that you are fine with us.” He added more carefully.

“Okay, sorry.” Marco said. He remembered Seb and what he had said about teenagers and too eager grownups. “So are we fine now?”

“Yep.” Nico nodded.

“Great. Now go and try to get some sleep, there’s still some time before we have to leave for work.” Marco jerked his head towards the doorway and Nico hurried that way.

Only when the teenager was out of the room did Marco allow himself a satisfied grin. He had made it and it hadn’t even hurt. It was freeing to know that they were back on track with Nico, but he had gone through only one of the two serious talks with a teenage boy he had planned for the day. And the bigger challenge was still awaiting him.


	25. Two Challenges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will have some hints and two important changes that will affect especially Marco's life. I hope you will like it and share your thoughts on it with me. :-)

Marco was sitting in his office, readying himself for his talk with Keith. He had gone through countless scenarios in his kitchen, when he was waiting for Seb and Nico to wake up. His boyfriend’s words had rung in his mind. _Sometimes all that teenagers need is a pair of attentive ears_. It was such a simple advice, and yet, Marco hadn’t lived by it. But, his positive experience with it when dealing with Nico had convinced the blond that he should give it a try again. He had nothing to lose in Keith’s case. Their relationship, supposing that they had any, was far from being friendly or at least neutral. For some peculiar reason, the boy hated Marco and this ungrounded grudge troubled him. He wanted to find out what had gone wrong with Keith, because there was no way that he had born this way.

He checked the clock on his table anxiously. Jerry still hadn’t arrived, because they didn’t have a training session in the morning and Nico and Judy were somewhere in the back, with Nico probably catching her up on the news. Marco had been so happy when his nephew had gotten out of his bed later in the morning, all smiles and kindness to him. It would have been amazing to achieve something similar with Keith, but Marco had no illusions; it wasn’t really possible.

The teenager arrived a few minutes after nine. He wore the same bored expression, and his face didn’t give away signs of remorse after what he had done the previous day. Not that Marco had expected it. He still believed that eventually, Keith was a good guy, he had just gone wrong somewhere in his life, but he must have struggled to get back. One thing was clear: he wasn’t happy and Marco’s instincts told him that he could be the one helping Keith.

“No easy signature for me today, right?” Keith said, putting another paper on the table. It was identical to the one he had made Marco sign the previous day, only the date was different. The teenager didn’t even wait for the blond’s reaction. He turned around, heading out of the office. “I’m still the garbage man, right?”

“Yes, you will have to do your task, but before that, I want to ask you a few things.” Marco said.

He managed to keep his voice calm, but inside, his heart was pounding hard. The sadness and resignation in Keith’s voice had almost made him feel pity, but he reminded himself of the many tricks Keith was the master of. Now, the teenager turned back with a sudden jerk of his head, and his ice-cold eyes threw lightings towards him. It was frightening and Marco had to gulp, swallowing the bad feeling about this talk.

“Sit down, please.” He pointed at the chair opposite his. He put on a strict face and Keith did as he was told, albeit only after some hesitation.

“What do you want to talk about?” He spat.

“You.” Marco said. “Since we are going to spend some time together, I thought that maybe we should get to know each other better. First of all, I want to learn more about the nature of your crime.” He explained. Keith’s look was impossible to decode and he stayed silent, so when no answer came, Marco continued. “The report says vandalism. What exactly have you done?”

“I sprayed a wall.” Keith shrugged. Marco would have liked to understand him, but he had no idea what the boy was talking about. “Graffiti.” He added, seeing the blond’s clueless expression.

“Oh, I see.” Marco sighed. “That’s not such a bad crime.” This was such a surreal conversation. He wanted to get Keith’s trust, but at the same time, he understood how dangerous it would be to open up too much. He had to keep the upper hand here.

“The police think otherwise. Especially if you do it to your own school.” Keith shrugged again. This was no big deal to him, Marco realized.

“Are you any good at it?” He asked.

“Is this some kind of a trick?” Keith snapped. “Do you want to get something from me, or do you want to suck up to me, just so I will give you an easier time? You can forget about it, I have my opinion on you and it won’t be changed by some good deeds or nice words.”

Marco was taken aback by this sudden rush of words and he was left speechless for a moment. From all the possible scenarios he had gone through, none had started this way. He had usually reached this point at the end of the conversation, when he had already got a tad bit closer to Keith. But, it seemed that the teenager’s walls were much higher and thicker than Marco had expected, and that it wouldn’t be that easy to understand what was going on in his mind, what was the driving force behind his actions.

“That’s just it!” Marco raised his voice. He hadn’t planned to open up to Keith, but the boy had asked him about his intentions, and he was going to tell them. “I have no idea why you hate me! I’m only trying to help, can’t you see it?”

For one moment that felt like eternity, they stared into each other’s eyes, invisible sparks of tension sizzling between them. “You are just an egoistic prick, just like I have thought.” Keith hissed with venom. “You think that you are better than others, but you are even worse. You pretend to care, but all that matters to you is your own happiness. And you want to talk to me and tell me about what to do and how to behave? I can only laugh at you!” He snorted and stood up. Marco was breathless and he only watched the scene unfolding in front of him in a haze. His entire body was cold and he couldn’t move his muscles. He only managed to open his mouth when Keith was already opening the door.

“You are wrong, Keith.” He croaked out. “And no matter what it takes, I will prove it to you.”

“Good luck!” Keith mocked him. “In the meantime, I’ll get down to work. The thrash will be much more pleasant company than you.”

 

* * *

 

Seb’s office finally felt like his own. He had refurnished it himself and wherever he looked, he could see signs of his own work. He kept only a desk and two chairs from the previous owner, along with a TV-set. He had bought a few shelves that were now packed with files and he had hung a huge board on one of the walls and he had pinned there his own reports on every player in their squad. It had been a desperate effort to remain organized; after a day, he piled up stacks of sheets everywhere in the room and so, he gave up on his struggles. He hadn’t changed in the years he had spent coaching, he wasn’t going to change now.

He was careful not to bring anything personal into his workplace. Not that he was ashamed of his life, but all the little reminders of his home and the one waiting for him there every day were too dear to him to put them in a window for the world to see. The only lucky charm he always carried with himself was an armband. Marco’s, although Seb was pretty sure that the blond hadn’t known about him keeping it. Maybe he didn’t even want his boyfriend to know about it, because he was well-aware of the fact how lame it was of him to have kept it.

It was the tape Marco had worn on his last match and had thrown away when he had been substituted. Seb had been sitting on the bench that afternoon, and he picked it up, slipping it into his pocket. Now, he usually kept it in his wallet, except for such rare occasions when he felt the urge to hold it in his hand and stare at it. Football had always been so important in both of their lives, and when Marco’s journey in that world had come to an end, Seb had considered it somehow his responsibility to carry on.

“Can I come in?” Klopp’s face appeared in the doorway. Seb was brought out of his musings and he quickly put the tape into his pocket.

“Sure.” He said, trying to look busy all of a sudden. He most probably didn’t succeed, because Klopp shot him an amused smile. It didn’t deter Seb. He wanted to prove so much here and he had to try so hard. No matter what Marco had told him, he knew that he had gotten here by pure chance and he could easily lose this position.

“I see that you have made yourself comfortable in here.” Klopp noted, looking around in what was the usual environment around Seb. “That’s great. Although, please be sure to take those reports off when a player comes into your office.” He pointed at the board.

“Don’t worry, the quippy and spicy stuff is kept safe.” Seb answered.

“Good.” Klopp nodded and he sat down opposite his assistant. His visit was remarkable, he usually called his coaches to go into his office when he needed anything from them. It set Seb on alert. Of course, this could be about anything, but his instincts made him a wary person, and it had helped him a countless times.

“How can I help you?” He didn’t give Klopp time to beat around the bush. He knew that the head coach appreciated it.

“I suppose you know that the U-21 coach left a few days ago.” Klopp started.

“Well, I would be a horrible assistant if it had missed my attention.” Seb noted dryly.

“Then, you also know that the management hadn’t found a suitable candidate yet. They talked to me and I have given them a list of the coaches I know about and would be a good addition to the team, but it will take them some time to agree on a deal.”

“And you are telling me this why?” Seb raised his eyebrow.

“Because in the meantime, you will take over this role.” Klopp announced simply.

Seb heard a big thump and he didn’t know if it was made by his heart or his jaw hitting the ground as he processed the news. He stared at his boss, but he couldn’t see him and he felt dizzy all of a sudden. Klopp’s reaction didn’t help his situation, at all, as the older man burst out in a roaring laughter.

“Sorry, I couldn’t stop it. You look horrified.” He tried to catch his breath again. “I’m not sending you into war, so don’t be so frightened!”

“But, I don’t understand…” Seb stammered, with a bad feeling in his guts. Could it be that Klopp was already having enough of him? “You brought me here to help you, why would you send me away to the U-teams?”

“I’m not sending you anywhere”, Klopp explained “, and that’s how you can help me the most right now. For the first few League Cup games, I was planning to let the youngsters play and I need someone to assess them and tell me who are good enough to play for the A-team. There’s no one else here I trust more than you. And you have worked really well with the boys in Dortmund, so you are the obvious choice. It’s only for a few days, until the management finally signs a coach.”

“But does this mean that I can’t work with the A-team anymore?” Seb asked the only thing that mattered to him right now.

“Okay, calm down.” Klopp said. “As I have said, I am not sending you away. You are still my assistant and you don’t have to fear for your job, if that’s what you are doing for any reason I can’t fathom. The youngsters have only one training session every day, so you can still be at the afternoon trainings and you will have the time to give me your opinion and notes. Although, I must say that our defense looks stable and I won’t lose much sleep over it. You’ve prepared them well, Sebastian. You should be proud of your work. I mean it. This is a chance for you, not a punishment.” He added with a serious look. “So, what do you say?”

 

* * *

 

Marco could barely recognize the surroundings of the parking lot when he went to check how Keith was faring. The teenager was doing better than the blond had expected. In fact, he was already done with his task and he had done an excellent job. There was not a small piece of paper under the bushes and the grass looked greener than ever; Marco suspected that the boy had watered it. His jaw dropped to the ground as he got closer to Keith who was sitting on the brick wall again, inspecting the sky with his usual expression.

“Wow, Keith, you’ve done an exceptional job!” Marco gaped when he finally addressed him.

“Yes, I am the king of litter pickers.” Keith mocked him, rolling his eyes.

“I meant it.” Marco said. “To be honest, I haven’t expected you to do anything, and this result goes beyond my expectations. So, well done!”

“I’ve done what you asked me to do, what’s the big deal?” Keith shrugged.

“Many people wouldn’t do that.” Marco mused out loud.

The teenager’s last comment made him think, and once again he was reassured, that there was more to Keith than met the eye. Marco was quite convinced that Nico would have considered such a task under his level and wouldn’t have done anything, or even if, he would have only picked up as much garbage as was necessary to convince Marco that he had done his job. Now, Keith seemed to be the kind of guy who takes a long time to get started with something, but once he does, he finishes it thoroughly.

They exchanged looks for a few seconds, and then, Keith returned to staring at the sky. Marco couldn’t imagine him doing anymore today, and for a moment, he considered signing his paper, and then realization hit him with a force of a lightning. Of course Keith had done a great job! He wanted to awe Marco, maybe getting his signature before his hours for the day would run out. It was a clever plan, Marco had to admit, and he was very proud of himself for seeing through it. But then, he would have signed the paper with an easy heart. Keith had chosen a much better form of getting out of his duty than the day before.

“I want to show you something.” Marco said and started off back towards the building, trying to ignore Keith’s cutting look. The teenager didn’t look the least excited and Marco could only hope that he would follow, but a few seconds, he heard footsteps from behind him.

He opened the door and waited for Keith to catch up to him, letting him in first. They walked down the empty and silent corridor. Nico and Judy were on lunch and Jerry would arrive in a few minutes, but they still had enough time for Marco to explain his plan to Keith. He had been quite pleased with himself when he had come up with it, and he hoped that Keith would like the idea as much as he did.

They didn’t stop until they walked out to the back. The yard was bordered with a brick wall from three sides; there stood only a low fence on the one overlooking the road. There was only simple whitewash on the wall and also on the building and Marco had always considered it dull. But, if he got his way, he would have it made more interactive in the next month.

“What do you want?” Keith barked. He looked almost offended for being interrupted in his afternoon siesta.

“You’ve said that you were arrested for graffiti, right?” Marco asked. Keith didn’t react the slightest way. “Well, I don’t know how good you are at that, but I guess you are good enough, if you pursue it so much that you get caught in the act. I also remember one graffiti next to the orphanage, I presume it was your work…”

“I don’t know if the term of limitation has passed, so I am not going to answer that question.” Keith said. He still didn’t look interested, but Marco could notice the slightest hint of attention in the corner of his eyes.

“Okay. So, I have been thinking about a task to give you, and I think I have a solution that both of us will like.” Marco started. “I wanted to have some paintings on these walls, and I thought that maybe you could paint them with graffiti. Of course, only decent things, something the children can look at and create a pleasant atmosphere. What do you say?”

Marco could almost hear the gears turning in Keith’s brain as he mused about his possibilities. He measured Marco warily. Then, his eyes scanned over the walls and Marco recognized this look. He had seen this look many times in Seb’s eyes. It was the look of a craftsmen, an artist, who was looking for possibilities in his surrounding to create something, to make things better and realize his vision. He had a hard time to hold back his contented smile. If there was something that could weaken Keith’s grudge towards him, this was it.

“Is this some kind of trick?” Keith snapped, shocking Marco with his vehement reaction. “Do you want to lick my ass or what? We won’t get buddies just because you make such a gracious act!”

“No, I–” Marco stammered. He was completely taken aback, and he felt like a cornered rat. “I didn’t mean it that way. I didn’t mean any offense… I just thought that this could be good for both of us. You can do something you enjoy, and I get something I want. It’s a fair offer, isn’t it?”

“Yes, especially for you!” Keith yelled. “Do you think that with this you can make up for anything you’ve done?!”

“What I’ve _done_?” Marco asked incredulously. “What _have_ I done, Keith? Why the fuck do you despise me that much? I think I deserve to know it, because I can’t think of anything horrible I have done for you!”

“Forget about it!” Keith sighed after a long moment with his body completely tensed up. “I will decorate your wall if that’s what you want. I’ll come back in the afternoon and start with my sketches, okay?”

He didn’t wait for Marco’s answer. He walked away with slumped shoulders and Marco could only look after him. He had scraped something there, and it felt like old wounds had been opened in Keith’s soul. Marco would have liked to know what it was, he wanted to be the patient listener Seb had mentioned, but Keith didn’t seem to be willing to talk.

Not yet.


	26. A New Friend

Seb had read through the former coach’s notes before he started off for his first own training session. He was afraid and he had no idea what he was going to do, but Klopp’s words of reassurance helped him ease his mind a little bit, and he also remembered what Marco had told him. If both his boyfriend and his boss believed in his skills, why wouldn’t he? He was mostly nervous because of what he considered a lack of knowledge. Of course, he knew the U-21 players – definitely better than Walker did, but he had no idea what they were really capable of and what he could expect from them.

A few other coaches joined him on his way to the pitch. The players were already waiting for them, kicking the ball around and joking. Most of them were barely past their eighteenth birthday and were still like children, Seb realized. He needed a completely different approach for this job and it was the most calming thought. The players eyed him suspiciously as the coaches approached. Seb heard whispers and excited voices.

“Good morning, lads!” He greeted them and they answered him with mumbles. “First of all, I want to reassure everyone that I am not your new coach. I’m only filling in until the management finds a suitable candidate. A more suitable one than me.”

“Wow, that’s truly great news.” One of the players noted quietly, but not quietly enough for Seb to miss it.

“I’m glad we are on the same page, Henderson.” Seb hit back immediately, utilizing his sternest voice. The young footballer looked at him startled and amazed that Seb knew him by name. “Guys, I’ll be honest with you: I haven’t had the time to analyze the kind of game you are playing, I have no idea what you were practicing and where you stand. I will have to rely on my colleagues on this. But, I will still give my best shot in the upcoming days and I expect the same from you. Jürgen sent me here to watch how you are doing and find out who is ready to play for the A-team in the League Cup. I can give you a dozen of examples who have found their places at Dortmund like this. Kloppo trusts young players, so I honestly advise you to do your very best.” He finished his little speech and it was received with an excited buzz of the players. Earning a place in Manchester United was their big dream and the prospect of achieving it relatively easily certainly didn’t leave them unmoved.

“Great.” Seb clapped. “Now, let’s start!” He turned to the physio coach. “You can do the warm-up, right?”

“Sure.” He nodded. He was a sympathetic young man; his name was Knox.

The players lined up for running, and to their utmost surprise, Seb joined them.

“Um”, Knox drawled. “We are about to start the running.”

“I thought so.” Seb smiled at him. “I just thought that I would do it with you. If you don’t mind, that is. I promise I will try to keep up, coach.” He added, and it caused a wave of laughter amongst the players. Seb recognized it pleased, but he became serious again. “How can I ask you to do certain exercises if I can’t do at least some of them?” He explained and he could almost feel himself grow in the youngsters’ eyes.

“Hey, coach, will you join us for the football practice, too?” Henderson bellowed, apparently spurred on by the way they had overcome their little conflict.

“I’ve seen myself play football, and believe me, you don’t want to go through the same.” Seb noted and waved Knox to go on with the training.

They finished after fifteen rounds, and Seb had a hard time to cover his tiredness. Knox dictated a swift tempo, and Seb had made a mental note not to give in to such sudden thoughts in the future. He had the time to catch his breath while the players continued in their warmup. Seb discussed with the other coaches who had participated in the team’s earlier trainings and got a deeper idea of what kind of football they were trying to implement. He knew that it would be pointless to start new things as long as he didn’t know who the new coach would be.

Instead, he decided for more general exercises that helped the players to get used to each other and improve their positioning. Time went by fast, and halfway through the session, Seb found out that he was enjoying himself. Among the youngsters, he felt free. There were no expectations weighing on his shoulders and for a minute, he mused if Klopp had sent him here out of pure necessity or if he had wanted him to gain confidence in himself. Whatever the case, he was being himself like never since he had arrived at United’s training ground.

“No, you aren’t doing it right!” He warned one of the players. He turned around and looked at Seb afraid. It was only then that Seb realized that he had lived with training maybe too much and he gave away his frustration from some of the players’ struggling more than it should have happened. “Sorry.” He apologized and he walked over to the midfielder. “The problem is that you want to defend the situation that is already happening when tracing back. That’s pointless. If your opponent has a few meters’– I mean, yards’ advantage, you will never catch up to him. You have to look at him and see how he moves and guess what could go on in his mind. If you look around and see how his teammates are positioned, you will be able to see where he will pass. That’s where you should be. The ideal defending is giving your opponent exactly one chance to pass the ball and intercept that pass.” He explained vehemently and by the time he finished, he noticed that everyone was listening to him in utter silence. “Um, yeah, so that’s what you should try.” He said, overcome by the sudden attention.

He told the players to move on and resume their practice and he retreated a few steps. He watched them from a distance. They were doing better and better, and they took his advice. What Seb liked the most about working with youngsters was that they didn’t wait for their coaches to tell them everything, they only needed some basic instructions and from then on, they started experimenting and trying things. He enjoyed watching their enthusiasm. These were players who hadn’t been ruined by money and professionalism yet. They played football for its own sake and didn’t look at it as a living and a list of expectations.

“I am sorry to intervene with your methods, Mr. Kruse, but you completely disrespect the work Mr. Keane started.” One of the older coaches walked over to him. Seb jerked his head up with a questioning look.

“Do I? How exactly?” He asked, amused.

“Well, let’s take Wright.” The coach said, referring to the midfielder Seb had talked to a minute ago. “His individual training was set up to make him a better central midfielder with ball-winning abilities.”

“Are you kidding me?” Seb snapped. “Sorry, but the boy was made to be a playmaker. He has great understanding of the game. He would be wasted in a defensive position.”

“With all due respect”, the coach shook his head, his voice making it very clear that the _due_ respect meant actually nothing “, I think I’ve worked with these lads long enough to be a better judge of that.”

“And I’ve been reading comics ever since I was eight, and yet, I wouldn’t call myself an expert on them.” Seb hit back. “Long experience doesn’t equal with expertise.”

“Are you saying that I don’t know anything about my trade?” The older man hissed.

“No, I’m saying that we are all human and when we spend a lot of time doing something, we develop some preconceptions that might make us blind to things that don’t fit into our way of seeing reality.” Seb explained. “Wright is the perfect playmaker material, believe me.” He closed the debate and patted the coach’s arm before he hauled himself off and walked to the players. “Okay, guys, training is over! Thank you for bearing with me, we’ll see each other tomorrow morning!”

His announcement was met with playful cheers and the players immediately started off towards the main building for their after-training treatment. The coach shot Seb another disapproving look and then he joined his colleagues to discuss Seb’s audaciousness with them. The raven-haired only shook his head amused and started to gather the balls. To his surprise, Knox stayed there, too.

“I must say, I’ve long not seen such a training.” He spoke up.

“I am glad I could shake things up a little bit.” Seb laughed.

“You did more than that. You know, the last season didn’t quite work out for the team, not as planned. They were all down and Keane, while he is a great coach, couldn’t handle the situation. He became desperate and he tried new things all the time, hoping that one of them would eventually work. He got another chance from the board and he wanted to give it a shot, but he soon found out that it still wasn’t working. He lost his mojo and there was no chemistry between the team and him. That’s why he left.” He said. “Unfortunately, he also left behind a few who should have left with him.”

“Who? Jackson?” Seb laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ve had my fair share with smartasses in my life.”

“I’m not afraid about that, but he has good connections in the boardroom and he is an expert in shit stirring. He could make your life complicated.” Knox added seriously and with honest concern in his voice.

“I’m always up for a challenge.” Seb shrugged and they burst out laughing. “I’m Seb!” He offered his hand to Knox.

“Will. Nice to meet you.” The other coach shook his hand. “And by the way, well done on the running. Only a few coaches could do it.”

“To be honest, halfway through it, I wasn’t sure if _I_ would make it.” Seb laughed.

“Well, running training shouldn’t be about jogging, should it?” Knox noted mischievously.

“I like this attitude.” Seb said. They clicked together very well and he felt like he had found a new friend and ally in Will. They had put all balls in a bag and they were strolling towards the building. Seb saw that the A-team had finished their training, too. “Do you have anything planned for this evening or tomorrow?” He asked suddenly.

“Sorry, I’m already taken.” Will grinned at him, showing Seb his ring.

At first, Seb didn’t know what to make out of this bold joke, but in the end, he gave way to his instinctive reaction and let out a roaring laughter. If there was a way how he wanted his sexuality to be treated, it was this one. He hated when people thought that he was weak or had to be treated with consideration just because he loved another man. He considered himself quite normal and he never felt offended by innocent jokes and comments.

“But, you could come over tomorrow. I was a big Dortmund fan in the old days, and I’d love to meet Marco.” He winked at Seb and started off on a separate way.

 

Seb experienced the effects of Jackson’s intrigues sooner than he had expected. Right after lunch, Klopp called him into his office. Seb immediately recognized the difference between the talk they had had in the morning and this one. In the morning, Klopp had visited him to ask him a favor; this time, he was going to meet his boss and the roles would be reversed.

“Sit down, Sebastian!” Klopp greeted him with a stern expression. Seb didn’t let it affect him. Klopp had told him how much he trusted him and valued him, it was time he proved it with his actions and not only his words.

“I suppose news about the training travel fast around here.” Seb noted sarcastically as he got comfortable in a chair.

“Why are you doing this to me, Sebastian?” Klopp sighed. “I have told you many times that our position isn’t simple at all, and yet, you keep making it worse and worse for us.”

“I have only done what you asked me to do and why you brought me here to Manchester.” Seb defended himself. “I was giving my best and being honest. I don’t see any problem with that.”

“There would be nothing wrong with that, but insulting your colleague is entirely different business.”

“I haven’t insulted him.” Seb corrected the head coach. “I told him the truth. I can’t be blamed if the truth offends him.” He shrugged.

“What exactly happened between you and Jackson?” Klopp asked.

“We disagreed on the position one of the players should play. I pointed out where he was wrong and apparently, he has come here to cry a little bit about the cruelty he had to endure.”

“Stop that!” Klopp snapped. There was no sign of understanding in his voice. “You won’t get anywhere with mocking him! Listen, Sebastian. These coaches have all worked here longer than we and they must get used to us. They have to accept me as their boss and you as their colleague. The sooner they do it, the better for us. You might want to be the tough guy who never makes any compromises, and that’s okay with me. But I warn you, it might get you unemployed very easily.

“I don’t want to lose you, but a few more complaints and the board will sack you gladly. You have already managed to get a few bad points at the owners. I understand where you come from and why you behave the way you do. I know you are convinced that you are right, and I admit your knowledge about football and that most of the time, you might indeed by right. But, that doesn’t mean that you can talk to anyone anyway you want it. Be more tactful, that’s all I’m asking for.”

“And shut up about the way others talk to me.” Seb added.

“Is there anything you would like to report?” Klopp lifted his eyebrow.

“No.” Seb shook his head.

“On the other hand, I had the opportunity to talk to some of the U-21 players and they just wouldn’t run out of praises for you.” Klopp continued, smiling. “You are doing a fine job, Seb, but I beg you, moderate your style a little bit when you are talking to the other coaches. Sending you to train the youngsters was meant to show them that I trust you completely and they shouldn’t question your position. But, you are younger than most of them and they will use the first opportunity you give them to weaken your stature. So be wary of that.”

“Thanks, that’s very reassuring.” Seb mumbled.

“We have to live by some rules, whether we like it or not.” Klopp said. “I don’t agree with half of them, but my experience tells me one thing: they work. They aren’t meant to help you stay yourself all the time, they are meant to ensure cooperation among a group of workers and they are perfect at that. You will come to realize it, too.” He finished and a heavy silence ruled over the room. “That’s all I wanted, you can leave now. We’ll see each other at training.”

 

* * *

 

Seb was coming home late, and Marco decided to cook dinner for them. Nico had gone out with Judy, and the blond was left alone with his thoughts for the time being. He mused over his talk with Keith. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t figure out anything. There was no way he could have upset the teenager. No, Keith’s hatred stemmed from something older. He had already despised Marco when Ronnie had asked him to go with him to the orphanage. Maybe Marco had known their parents, only he didn’t realize it? No, it was impossible. All his life, he had lived in Germany and knew barely anyone from England, almost all of them footballers. But, there simply had to be a reason for Keith’s behavior.

At least the boy had kept his word and had come back after his lunch to the academy and had made some sketches and plans. He had showed some of them to Marco and the blond was amazed by the fine details Keith had put into them. His suspicion had been proven to be right: Keith was passionate about a lot of things, the only problem was that the things that interested him weren’t considered valuable, that’s why he had so many problems in school or in the orphanage. But, Marco was reassured that his idea was good and he had made the right choice when he had asked Keith to help him out. Now, he only needed some help with Keith from Seb.

The dinner was ready exactly when Seb arrived at home. The younger one walked into the kitchen and planted a kiss on Marco’s cheek, but barely looked at the set table.

“Good evening, darling!” He greeted the blond.

“We can eat in a minute.” Marco said.

“I’ve already eaten take-away on the way home.” Seb said, pouring himself a glass of water. “I’m sorry, but I’m totally wrung out, I’ll pass the dinner tonight. We are invited for dinner tomorrow, I’ve worked with the U-21 team today and one of the coaches asked me to go visit them, with you, of course.” Then, he started a retelling of his day’s happenings. Marco listened to him keenly, but secretly, he was waiting for the moment he could spill out all his concerns to his love. Only, when Seb finished, he walked out of the kitchen and Marco was left behind dumbfounded.

Seb didn’t even ask him about his day and it was the first time he did so.


	27. A Lost Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably many of you are interested in Keith's reason to hate Marco, and this chapter will answer it for you. :-) I hope you will consider the explanation believable, please share your thoughts with me. I thank you for your support and your comments are always appreciated. :-)

The next days weren’t any better. Seb went to work in the morning, came home late in the evening, told Marco about his day and then went to sleep without ever asking about the blond’s day. But, Marco’s life wasn’t standing still, either. His academy was making short but sure steps forward and after three days, there were enough applicants to do an audition match and Marco would have liked Seb to come and see the little kids, hoping that he would find someone Marco and Jerry would miss otherwise. And yet, they didn’t talk. They existed next to each other, but it was nothing like the atmosphere Marco was looking forward to go home to.

Of course, he never questioned Seb’s love for him. He knew that the younger one still felt the same and that he was only having a hard time. The passion he put into his retellings of the days’ events convinced Marco that Seb was enjoying himself very much and that he was truly grateful for the opportunity he had gotten. The blond only wished that he cared about him more, as well. He hoped that the dinner they were invited to would help. He didn’t know anything about Knox, but the way Seb spoke about him told him that his boyfriend truly appreciated his friendship.

But, the dinner didn’t change anything. They started with a nice chat and Marco relaxed, feeling like his old Seb was back, but after a few minutes, the two coaches started to talk about their job and football, and Marco felt exactly like Will’s wife did: like an outsider. He made a few lame efforts to make Seb realize that he was sitting next to him, but the only reaction he got were a few sympathetic glances from her.

Marco hated the man this job hade made Seb become. He wasn’t mad at his boyfriend, or at least not the way most people would have. He only damned him for not realizing how he was behaving. He didn’t give up on him though. Day after day, he tried to open his eyes, only if they did spend enough time together for Seb to notice him. He finally admitted his defeat after four days. He hoped that Seb would become normal again after he stopped training the youth team, but he knew that there were no guarantees for it. Seb had always been the kind of person who could easily become too immersed in what he did, and while he did it perfectly and the best possible way, it also ruined all the other aspects of his life.

Strangely enough, Nico was Marco’s biggest ally. He felt the same way about Seb’s change as Marco did and they talked a lot about how they could bring him to his senses again. The teenager was completely on his uncle’s side and it amazed the blond after all the things he had done to him. Nico was still seeing Judy and they spent most of their waking hours together, but he still found the time to support Marco and he appreciated it a lot.

Jerry also noticed that he was feeling down. It was weird how the ones Marco had spent the least time with stood by him all of a sudden, while the love of his life abandoned him completely. But somehow, he felt it appropriate. Not that he wasn’t happy for Seb. He still supported him and would have pushed him forward for more if he didn’t have doubts about how it would affect not only their relationship, but also Seb’s life.

And then, of course, there was his concern over Keith. The teenager kept their level of contact to the minimum. He arrived at the academy each morning at nine, walked through the building and made some sketches. Around three, he went to see Marco and gave him the paper he was supposed to sign. Apart from that, he never looked at the blond and when the kids had training, Keith was careful to be at the farthest point possible from Marco. It hurt him, but he couldn’t do anything about it. If Keith wanted to keep distance from him, he would have to accept it for the time being. He only wished that this time would end already.

It was when Keith started to paint rough drafts on the walls when Marco couldn’t avoid him any longer. He walked over to him and tried to get a glimpse of his sketches, but the teenager reacted in time and quickly closed his book before the blond.

“Can I see what you are going to paint?” Marco tried.

“Am I doing it or are you doing it?” Keith snapped back and continued in painting a line over the whitewash.

“You are doing it, but since I am paying for the paint and it is my wall you are painting, I think I have the right to see what you are up to.” Marco insisted.

“Hey, if you don’t want me to do this, just tell me.” Keith shrugged.

“Keith”, Marco shook his head “, I want you to do it. I just would like to see what you are going to point.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not painting anything profane on your precious walls.” Keith mocked him. “You lured my little brother here, and I wouldn’t want him to look at anything inappropriate. So when we look at it, you secured yourself perfectly from this point of view.”

Marco quickly looked around. There was no one near them and this might be his chance to talk to Keith. The teenager’s voice scared him. Keith spoke with the usual venom, but the fact that it was usual and sounded like routine to him, without any real emotion put into it, struck Marco weird and he didn’t know what to do about it.

“Keith, Ronnie comes here because he enjoys playing football and he is quite good at it.” Marco said, smiling. He decided that he would meet Keith’s hatred with love, no matter how hard it would be for him. “I don’t know why you think that I’m doing everything for selfish reasons.”

“Because that’s what you did all your life!” Keith burst out and his eyes told Marco more than he needed to know. He took a step back. He couldn’t stay so close to the teenager. He felt cold all of a sudden, because there was no human feeling and kindness in the way Keith looked at him.

“How can you know that? I have the feeling that you think that you know me, but I have no idea where we have ever met and how can you have this impression. I’m sorry, Keith, but I don’t understand you.” Marco shook his head.

“Oh, you want the truth?” Keith put his hands on his hips. “You seem to be blind to it anyways. That just shows how full of yourself you are and never consider those others around you, and you might not even realize how many lives you influence.”

Then, Marco finally understood. Keith felt like he had been one of those people, but the blond still had no idea what exactly he meant. How could he have affected Keith’s life? His mind was racing, but he couldn’t come up with any answer. He only saw the huge question mark that had hung there ever since he had met Keith. He opened his heart and waited for Keith’s further elaboration, but it didn’t seem to come for some time. Marco was already giving up hope that the teenager would open up to him, but he still looked at him encouragingly. He accomplished the exact opposite reaction than the one he had hoped for.

“Just like I thought! Once again, you don’t care about making my life better, you only want to ease your own mind because you have some crazy pangs of conscience over something you don’t even know what it is!” He snorted. “And you think I am the horrible person? Let me open your eyes for you, Mr. Perfect, because no one else will!

“I was in London for that Champions League final, you know. My father took me there. Ronnie was still little, and my Mom stayed with him at our aunt’s. But we two went there. I was a huge Dortmund fan. I worshipped you and Götze and how you cruised through the biggest obstacles. Then, Dortmund was the symbol of how hard work can make you competitive with the best of the bests.” He remembered and a sad nostalgia overtook Marco. He felt the same and he had never forgiven himself that they hadn’t won that final. “Of course, I was a stupid boy, and didn’t understand half of what was going on in the world, but I understood how important this match was not only for all Dortmund fans, but for the world of football. It was a special occasion, and I was so happy that my Dad took me there. And then, you lost…”

“Keith, I–” Marco sighed, his voice breaking with all his emotions.

“Shut up, I’m not finished!” Keith snapped and Marco was brought back to reality very harshly. “After the match, we went back to my aunt’s house, but I just wouldn’t fall asleep. I was crying all night long and kept telling my father how much I wanted a Dortmund jersey. Do you get it? You lost, many were disappointed in you, and I just wanted to support you even more! I must have thought that you lost because I didn’t cheer for you enough, or I don’t know. The important thing is that my father gave in eventually, and he went to buy me a jersey with Mom.” He took a deep breath before he continued.

“After that, I only remember the police car stopping in front of the house. Two officers came in and talked to my aunt. I didn’t know what they said to her, but I still remember her wailing. I was fifteen when I finally learned the truth. A drunk driver, coming from the match drove into their car and they died. Because of me.”

“Keith, this isn’t your–”

“Mom’s death shook my aunt too much. She had a nervous breakdown and she couldn’t adopt us. So we ended up back here in Manchester, in an orphanage. Ronnie didn’t understand what happened, and I think his brain kind of blocked all his memories of our folks. Maybe it was for the better. But I? I suffered. And do you know what was left for me? You.

“You were my idol. The only one I could still look up to. Ronnie was right, I was your biggest fan. It’s strange that he remembers it, but then, there wasn’t a match I missed on TV. I remember, once I even got into a fight with an Arsenal fan, because both matches were at the same time.” He laughed at the memory. “I won. Slowly, I got back on with my life. I lost my parents, but I got a father figure of a sort in you. It’s strange, isn’t it? How a stupid boy can think so much of another human being who doesn’t even know that this boy exists. But that’s what happened. I was happy again, seeing how you kept going on despite all the failures and almosts in your career. It gave me strength and I moved on just like you did. You know, the police found a jersey with your name in the back of my parents’ car and they gave it to me. I wore it proudly as often as the nurses at the orphanage would let me.

“I wore it that morning. When you came out.” He elaborated. “I didn’t know it was happening, but the guys at the school had phones and they found out. They teased me all they long, how I was a faggot for loving you so much, and they wouldn’t shut up about it. You can’t imagine the shit I had to endure in that five minutes long break between my classes. Everyone told me what a horrible person you were, and how stupid I was for ever liking you and looking up to you. I spent the rest of that day hiding in the toilet and crying my heart out.

“My tears dried up sometimes in the afternoon. I tore your jersey into pieces and threw it into the thrash. I went back into the orphanage in a dirty T-shirt I wore on PE. I still wasn’t ready for what waited for me there. The same bullying and it didn’t cease for weeks. I didn’t watch your matches anymore and I couldn’t care about what happened to you. You were the only one I had, and you let me down and left me on my own. So tell me, Marco Reus, are you surprised that I despise you for ruining my life?!” He spat.

He didn’t wait for Marco’s answer, and he wouldn’t have gotten it even if he had stayed there for hours. He walked away and all the blond could do was stare in front of himself without seeing anything. It felt as if a fist clenched around his heart and he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs. Goose bumps formed on his skin everywhere on his body and he was shaking and felt dizzy. The world stopped existing around him, he didn’t perceive it, he just collapsed on the ground and sat there, shocked. Everything from his past that he thought he had closed and was gone, surged into life and emerged. He was weak and couldn’t fight his demons. He wouldn’t have thought that he would have to face this issue again. He had come to accept himself and he thought that the world had done the same, but apparently, it wasn’t so.

“Hey, Marco! Is everything alright?” Jerry put his hand on his shoulder. Marco spun around and looked at the coach taken aback. He couldn’t recognize him for a moment and he didn’t even know where he was. He had gone so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice the two streams of tears running down his cheeks.

“Yes, I’m– I only need some time alone.” He stammered. “I think I will go home now. Can you please lock things up and all?”

“Yes, but are you sure you are alright?” Jerry shot him a concerned look.

“Yeah, yeah.” Marco nodded.

He drove home, he didn’t even know, how. He walked around in their house like a ghost and didn’t know what to do. He wanted to cry, but he had nothing left to cry out. His eyes hurt, but it was nothing compared to the ache he felt inside. In the end, he walked over to their DVDs and got out the one he had never watched. He wasn’t sure why he had it to begin with. But now, he put it into the player and waited anxiously for the record to start.

His ten years old younger self appeared on the screen and started to stammer. That Marco was as pale as he now had to be and their eyes must have looked exactly the same. _“My name’s Marco Reus”_ , the younger Marco spoke up _“, I’m a football player– and I’m gay.”_ He couldn’t watch it any longer. He turned away and ran into the toilet, retching and emptying his stomach into the bowl.

He thought of the many little boys who had looked up to him and who had to endure the same mocking and hassle Keith had gone through. He cursed at himself that he had never thought of them so far. He didn’t think that the teenager was right to be mad at him for coming out, but he was also mad at himself for not realizing how many lives his announcement affected. He had never thought about his fans. He had taken their support and drew strength from it, but he never cared about how they felt. He was just like Keith had described him: selfish.

How come he hadn’t seen it earlier? And what about Seb? His boyfriend must have noticed it! Then, why hadn’t he told him anything? Why did he let Marco ignore the ones who loved and admired him and be busy with only himself?

The sounds of the press conference cut through the silence of the house and Marco had to throw up over and over again, until his throat burned and there was nothing more he could spit out. He sat in the toilet, crying without tears, all the sorrow suffocating him.

He heard the front door being opened and Seb walk in. He recognized his steps; after ten years, he had no problem doing it. His boyfriend went into the living room. Marco could imagine him staring at the TV clueless, trying to figure out why he would watch that ten year old footage. Well, if he had talked to Marco in the last few days, he would probably know. Anger rose in Marco and he started to fume. It all would be so much better, if his love stood by his side, but right now, work was much more important to Seb and Marco didn’t want to take it anymore.

He saw red when he heard the approaching footsteps. Seb ran to him, stopped in the doorway and knelt down next to him, concerned. He cupped Marco’s chin in his hands and his fingers stroked over his cheeks gently. Marco would have welcomed this contact at any times, except for now. He only saw Seb’s lame effort to make up for the past few days in it and he wanted to laugh. Did Seb really consider him a small kid who could be fooled?

“Marco, darling, what’s wrong?” Seb asked in a weak voice.

“As if you cared!” Marco shouted and he tossed away Seb’s hands, sprung up and rushed out of the room.


	28. Closeness

He heard Seb calling after him, but he didn’t stop. He covered his eyes with his arm and he ran into their bedroom. He plopped down on their bed and buried his face in one of the pillows. He didn’t know whose it was, it smelled from both of them. It filled Marco with a strange and incomprehensible sadness. Ever since he met Seb, he had been so glad to be together with him. How come that his scent, that beautiful scent, made him annoyed all of a sudden? What went wrong? He couldn’t have fallen out of love for his boyfriend! He might have been mad at him, or rather – unsure about him, but this made no sense!

He heard Seb’s careful steps approaching him. He walked slowly and Marco didn’t need to turn around to see that the younger one was perplexed and wanted to understand the situation badly. Marco would have liked to explain to him everything, but his throat burned, and the tears he swallowed back didn’t extinguish that fire. He curled up in a ball and shut his eyes tight, looking for refuge in the darkness around him.

He felt the mattress shift under him as Seb climbed onto the bed. He didn’t say anything, and Marco was utterly grateful for that. He didn’t want to talk. He couldn’t. Any attempt to utter a coherent sentence would have failed miserably. Seb lay down behind him, embraced him from behind and snuggled so close to him that their bodies almost felt like one. He pressed a gentle peck on Marco’s nape, and waited without moving a single part of his body.

That silence answered Marco’s doubts and questions. He calmed down and felt safe and home. Just a few months earlier, he had been so busy finding the perfect house for them, buying the needed furniture and arranging it in a way that would resemble their home in Dortmund the most. And yet, only now he understood that he should have cared the most about bringing the atmosphere of love and a stable relationship with them.

He shouldn’t have let things go this far. He should have talked to Seb about his worries as soon as they arose. But, he had hoped that Seb would come to his senses soon. He wanted to avoid any confrontation with his boyfriend, because he feared that it would lead to a row. Now he knew that it was stupid, and he shouldn’t have thought so much, listening to his heart instead. But on the other hand, he didn’t mind that it had come to this moment. Those doubts were in him, he had to face them. There were questions in him he needed to ask. His talk with Keith had opened long forgotten wounds and time in his life. He couldn’t ignore it. He needed to revisit that fateful year, whether he liked it or not.

It still took him long minutes to compose himself. He drew his strength from Seb’s presence and embrace. He had just yelled at his boyfriend, and yet, Seb had followed him without a second thought. It was all the reassurance he needed. His relatives and friends always envied their love and relationship. To them, they were the perfect couple, but Marco knew they weren’t perfect. They didn’t even need to be. They had their own clashes, but their secret was that they always searched for the way to each other again.

“I am sorry.” He mumbled when he found his tongue again.

“Don’t be.” Seb said to him. He pulled his arm back to give Marco space to turn around. The blond did so and they propped themselves up on their elbows. Seb’s eyes were dull with regret and a will to empathize with Marco. “What happened, darling?” He asked in his most tender voice.

“I talked with Keith today.” Marco started, and from then on, the words just wouldn’t stop flowing.

He was surprised at how much he remembered of that conversation. It must have had a huge effect on him, because he could recall every single detail, the way Keith pronounced each word, the venom that was hidden in his voice. Seb listened to him patiently. He had always been the perfect listener. He didn’t judge Marco. He gave him time to relive what was troubling him, and he only formed his own opinion after hearing everything.

When Marco was finished, Seb gave him time to compose himself again. The raven-haired looked at him with all his affection. He reached out and stroked Marco’s cheeks.

“I’m sorry. But, you have to understand Keith. He isn’t mad at you. He is mad at his life, and he has to blame someone.” Seb explained. Marco nodded. He had the same feeling, but it still was so hard. How was he supposed to make his brain convince his heart? “And I know that it is still shit for you. I know you, Marco. You have always been an empathetic person. I know that since your talk, you blame yourself for Keith’s misfortune. Am I right?”

“Yes.” Marco sighed. “How couldn’t I? That little boy looked up to me! And I let him down!”

“By doing what? Stepping up for yourself? Showing him that you shouldn’t be ashamed of who you are, no matter who you are?” Seb reprimanded him. It was the same tone he used with players. He pointed out their mistakes, and at the same time, managed to motivate them and fill them with strength. “Marco, you have to live your own life. And yes, you taught me to be considerate of others, but you can’t think of everyone. The world doesn’t rely only on you.”

“I know, but still…” Marco drawled. “I have never thought of my fans, you know? When I made that decision. But just imagine what some of them had to go through! How many little boys were disappointed, because I couldn’t meet the idolized image they saw in me?”

“Marco!” Seb sighed. “Those who idolize anyone are bound to be disappointed. I speak from my own experience. When I was a university student, I idolized you. You were my big love, my big crush, and no one could criticize you in my presence.” He laughed at the memory. “I’ll be honest with you. When I met you personally, I was disappointed. I had such a good opinion on you, that you couldn’t have met it, no matter what. But, when I came to know you, I realized that you were a better person in a way I could never have thought of.”

“Did you think of them, Seb?” Marco asked the most important question for him right now. “When I came out and you supported me, did you think about how it would affect my fans?”

“No.” Seb shook his head. “I knew that some would start to hate you. I knew that some would support you and be proud of you. I knew that some would start to support you just because you came out and they saw political chance in you. I’ve only ever cared about you and your happiness. You haven’t done anything wrong. All you saw when talking to Keith was the stupidity of a small child who needed to find a scapegoat for his own problems. What was he supposed to do? He lost his parents, and his schoolmates suddenly teased him because of the footballer he supported the most. Can you really blame him for turning his back on you?”

“No, I don’t blame him.” Marco sighed. “But he hates me… and it doesn’t make sense. What am I supposed to do with this level of ignorance and refusal?”

“I don’t know.” Seb admitted his defeat. “I would like to be able to give you the recipe to finding a way to Keith. But, I can only tell you that there is a way. And Keith probably wants to find it, too. He once loved you, and I’m sure that deep inside him, there is that little child who still believes in a Marco Reus better than everyone else. It’s hard to give up your ideals.”

“Do you really think so?” Marco smiled weakly.

“Of course.” Seb insisted and he pecked the blond’s forehead. “Just give him some time. He must be confused. What he told you today reopened old wounds in you, imagine what could have happened with him when you showed up in his room. To him, you have been the man who has let him down, and now you suddenly are nice to him? It can’t make any sense to him. He has had a nicely colored image of you that suited his ideas and now, you are ruining it for him. He will be confused, but I guarantee you that that image will slowly vanish and he will see you for the wonderful person you are.”

“Seb, thank you!” Marco croaked out in relief and he embraced his boyfriend, burying his head in his chest. Seb returned the hug, but only with some reserve. It didn’t slip Marco’s attention and he soon pulled back, shooting a questioning glance at the younger one. “What’s wrong?” He mouthed.

“Why did you yell at me?” Seb asked honestly. “I can understand that Keith made you angry, but you were mad at me in the bathroom. Why was it? Have I done anything wrong?” He was an unsure young man in love, and it was a very unusual role from him. It always warmed Marco’s heart. After all those years, Seb still tried to make himself a better person to be able to be the perfect boyfriend for him.

“I’m sorry about it, Seb. I didn’t mean it.” Marco apologized. God, he had been so stupid! He was upset because of Keith, and he had taken it out on Seb. Even if his boyfriend had been focusing on his work the last few days, he had no right to shout at him. He would never have the right to shout at him.

“And yet, you did it.” Seb said dryly.

Marco looked at him, inspecting his expression thoroughly. There wasn’t much to be seen there. Seb showed him his deadpan face, his eyes completely neutral, but expecting an answer. He breathed evenly and gave the impression of a person who had all the time in the world, but someone who would get what he wanted, no matter how long it would take him. The blond sighed and admitted that he stood no chance here. After all, it was probably better to tell Seb about how he felt. They could talk through it, and find a way to prevent similar situations in the future.

“Why do you think that I don’t care about you, Marco?” Seb asked, and finally, he gave away the emotions whirling in him. It hadn’t been more than a small quivering of his voice, but it was enough for Marco. Seb wasn’t mad at him because he had yelled at him – the raven haired only felt bad that he had done something that had made Marco feel like he wasn’t loved anymore.

“Seb!” He sighed warmly. “I do know that you care about me. I am truly sorry that I shouted at you and accused you. I really didn’t mean it, it was only the result of my despair and all the anger in me. But lately, I have felt like you didn’t spend as much time with me as you used to. With your new job as the interim coach for the youth team, you were buried in your work. You woke up early, went to the training center and wouldn’t come home until late in the evening. You grabbed something to eat, and then went to bed. If I got more than two words out of you, it was a big accomplishment. I can understand it. This opportunity is a huge one, and you want to make the most out of it. But lately, it felt like it is also doing you a lot of bad.”

“I don’t get it.” Seb shook his head. “When Jürgen gave me this offer, you seemed to be so supportive. You have been supportive ever since then. You reassured me when I had doubts, and you haven’t given a hint of your displeasure. Do you think that it is too much for me? That we should have stayed in Dortmund?”

“No, love.” Marco hastened to say. “I am so happy for you. But I don’t want to be only someone staying in the background. I want to be by your side, know what you are going through, what problems you face, to see if I can do something to help you. In the last few days, it felt like I was only an observant of your life, and not a part of it. I’m just concerned about you. I don’t want your work to overwhelm you. You know, we always talk about our days to each other, and sometimes it might be weird, but those talks mean a lot to me. You must find a healthy balance. I know that it is hard and sometimes you don’t have the time or the energy to listen to my constant complaints. I am okay with it. But you can always find the time for a tender caress, can’t you? And it is enough to let me know that you love me.”

“Yes, I can do that.” Seb smiled at him. It was the biggest love confession Marco could have wished for at that moment. “I am sorry that I abandoned you, but this really is a great chance for me, and I enjoy it so much. But you are so right, I haven’t spent enough time with you.”

“It’s okay, Seb. I don’t want you to feel bad about it. I remember that not once I was far too caught up in football or in an important game.”

“Yes, you used to be a jerk before derbies.” Seb noted sarcastically, and Marco started to laugh. He got his old Seb back again.

“Right, because staying up three nights in row, watching Bayern matches to figure out the weak spot in Guardiola’s system is much healthier.” Marco hit back playfully and he poked Seb in the ribs.

“Hey, that same approach won us a few games, didn’t it?” Seb defended himself. Now, they were rolling on the bed, Seb being on top, but the next second, Marco pushed him, and they changed their positions.

“And annoyed me to no end when we lost despite all your efforts, and I had to listen to your grumblings for days.” Marco said.

“I couldn’t do anything about your teammates being unable to do what I told them to do.” Seb got on top of again and he shrugged his shoulders.

“My teammates?” Marco raised his eyebrows and he climbed on Seb, pinning him to the mattress. “So I always could do what you told me to do?” He asked with a teasing smile. Seb tried to free himself, but Marco wouldn’t let him. Not until he got his answer.

“Well, I’m not saying that you were the perfect footballer, but you were the perfect boyfriend.” Seb explained after a moment of musing.

“That’s the right answer.” Marco laughed and kissed Seb.

How much better it tasted than the salty tears! Marco felt deliberated again. There was no doubt weighing down on his heart and as their lips moved with the routine they had acquired through the years, Marco felt home and safe again. Not that their kissing was just a drag, something they had to be done with. They were still filled with passion. It wasn’t the same fire they shared at the start of their relationship, but it didn’t even need to be. They had grown older and changed a lot. What mattered the most was that they still looked for each other’s company and tenderness. And that they wouldn’t let small problems like today’s get between them.

He remembered that at the beginning, not many had given them a big chance. Living in secret was one reason why they thought that they couldn’t be happy for a long time, but there were other things that made them think so. Marco’s friends, and even his family at first, failed to see the real man Seb was. To them, the raven haired was obnoxious and annoying, someone unable to express any feeling apart from mockery. Marco was different. He had seen the love in Seb right at first sight. There was an inexhaustible amount of love in the younger one, he only spared it for that special one.

Marco was no different. Although his career forced him to live alone for a long time, he had always had the feeling that he wouldn’t be able to resist once he met his true love. It had happened so indeed, and he was grateful to this day that it did.

He almost whined when they finally parted. He needed Seb’s closeness so much. His boyfriend noticed it immediately and received it with a satisfied grin. His face was so beautiful whenever he saw a clear sign of Marco’s love for him. His eyes lit up with joy, and all the soft wrinkles vanished, life and vitality shining through his skin.

“I love you, Marco.” He said, meaning every single word. “I love you like no one else can love you. And I need you. I promise you that I will not forget it ever again, and that I will always have time for you in the future. You are more important to me than anything else could.”

“Oh, Seb!” Marco blushed like he always did when hearing such words from his boyfriend. The amazing thing about Seb’s love confessions was that he never used big words or lengthy sentences. He was honest and straightforward. And yet, he always found a way to find the right words to express what he was feeling inside and transfer it into Marco’s heart where it warmed the blond from the inside. He decided that he would use the same approach and said stop to the long sentences that wanted to flee from his lips. Instead, he said only a few simple words. “I love you, too.”


	29. The Second Talk

Marco was afraid to go to the academy the next morning. He dreaded his next meeting with Keith, and he secretly hoped that the teenager wouldn’t show up today. Of course, he knew that he couldn’t avoid him forever, and postponing the inevitable wouldn’t help him at all, quite on the contrary. It was just another terrible thing he needed to get done with and he wanted to do it as soon as possible. But, there was something that had changed compared to the day before. He didn’t feel alone anymore.

Seb took them to the academy with Nico, and he went with Marco into his office. He started later at United, and he had a few minutes he wanted to spend with his boyfriend. At least, Marco thought so. Seb instead left just after a few seconds to talk with Nico. The blond had no idea what the two of them had to talk about. He was puzzled by this question, but it couldn’t keep him busy when he had bigger things to worry about. And anyways, Seb wasn’t away for long. He returned after a minute or two and he walked over to the older one.

“Are you sure you can do this?” Seb asked concerned, cupping Marco’s head in his hands.

“Honestly? No.” Marco sighed. “But I have to do it nonetheless.” He shrugged. “I have to talk to Keith. I am not sure what I can say to him, but you are right, he will probably hear me out. I just hope that I won’t screw it up.”

“I know that you won’t.” Seb said smiling. He bent down and kissed his love’s forehead. “And if anything bad happens, call me, alright?”

“Seb, you can’t be worried about me all the time. You have work to do.” Marco shook his head.

“No, what I need to do is be there for you when you need me. Something I haven’t done lately.” Seb admitted. It touched Marco’s heart. It was unbelievable how much his boyfriend didn’t have any problems admitting his own mistake. Marco didn’t know any other person who could be so critical even of himself.

“Thank you.” Marco managed a crooked half-smile. “But you really don’t have to look after me all the time just to make up for the past few days. I’m not mad at you.”

“I know.” Seb chuckled. “But I can try, right?” He laughed and gave Marco a goodbye kiss. “Be strong, okay?” He said as a farewell.

Marco was alone, but not for long. Jerry arrived five minutes after Seb left. He was his usual self, all smiles and radiating optimism. On other days, it worked on Marco, but today, he was left unmoved. He stared in front of himself, and thought about what he was going to say to Keith. What could he possibly say? That he was sorry for Keith’s loss and that he didn’t have anything to do with his hard life? That would have only made the teenager madder at him and prove to him that Marco was an egoist, who only thought about his own peace of mind. No, he had to get connected with the boy, he only didn’t know the way to do it.

“Feeling better today?” Jerry asked, obviously concerned by Marco’s long silence.

“Yes.” Marco nodded. “Sorry about yesterday. I just– I didn’t know what happened.”

“Did you have a fight with Keith?” Jerry looked at him from under his eyebrows.

“Kind of.” Marco said. His throat was already dry and his heart pounded in his chest. What was he going to do when Keith would sit opposite him?

“He’s a strange boy, that is a given.” Jerry acknowledged.

“Can I ask you something? If you had to work with him, what would you say to him to make him let you closer?” Marco inquired.

“Well, first of all I’m lucky I _don’t_ have to work with him.” Jerry laughed. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you to let him serve here. You must either have a big heart or a small brain.”

“Maybe both.” Marco laughed.

“To answer your question, I would probably just let him be himself, give him time. I would only show him that he can count on me when he needs me, nothing more. He has a closed personality, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t wish for human contact. We all do. Those who say otherwise, lie.” Jerry explained, and Marco had to smile. There certainly were some similarities between how Seb and Jerry thought, but the conclusions of their thinking couldn’t have been more different.

“Thanks for the tip. I will try to do that.” Marco said.

“And don’t forget, Marco: you don’t have to help him with everything. You gave him a chance to get away with whatever he was sentenced for relatively easily. It’s up to him what he makes out of his chance.” Jerry warned him. “You are already doing more than enough for his brother and the other kids from the orphanage. More than anyone would do.”

“Yes, I wanted to talk to you about it…” Marco drawled. “I have paid the first few bills, and we aren’t doing as well as I had expected. This academy is only swallowing money. It’s not that I want to have any gain out of it, but I won’t be able to finance it forever if it goes on like this.”

“I’m not really surprised.” Jerry said. “I have already been thinking about it, and I might have an idea that could solve this problem.”

“I’m listening.” Marco sat up in his chair. He was completely shocked that his colleague was taking his job this seriously.

“Okay. So, there are a few really talented kids already training here, and we have that audition match at the weekend. What if we started a football team? We could register them for a league. There are plenty for kids’ teams, and it could be great motivation for them, and advertisement for us. More kids would come, and others might recognize the academy. You know, donators or maybe even sponsors? It could solve the funding problem at least partly.” He explained, and Marco’s jaw dropped as he listened to him. How come he hadn’t thought of that? Was he really only aspiring as far as to make an academy where kids could play football behind closed doors?

“That’s fantastic!” He cried out enthusiastically. “Jerry, I don’t know what to say! Maybe you should run this academy instead of me!”

“We are good at different things. You have the money and driving force, I am happy to help you out.” Jerry smiled.

“The next time we are at Mario’s and Lily’s place, please remind me to thank them for recommending you.” Marco thanked him.

“You would surely surprise my sister.” The coach laughed. “It is generally accepted in my family that I am the black sheep who won’t ever amount to anything. But I’m glad I could convince you otherwise, and I’m grateful that you chose me.”

“You should only thank yourself.” Marco pointed out. “I wouldn’t have hired you if I hadn’t been sure that you were the coach I was looking for. You work diligently and with great passion every day. I can see that you enjoy what you are doing and you never run out of praises for the kids. And I know that you have hard days, too. I admire you for being able to leave it at home.”

“Okay, I think we have reached the line where you should stop with your compliments, because I would soon sit on a high horse and everything you have just said wouldn’t be true anymore.” Jerry laughed and then checked his watch. “I should go and prepare the pitch for training. I’ve asked Nico to do it, but I have the feeling that he was busy with other things.” He drawled.

“I’ll talk to him about it.” Marco promised and stood up, as well.

He was heading towards the parking lot. He wanted to wait for the children arriving from the orphanage there and he hoped that he could have a word with Keith before he would have to join Jerry on the pitch. He wasn’t particularly needed during trainings, he couldn’t give out instructions in the right way, but they have found out that he could speak to the kids more freely and closer to their level than Jerry could. Whenever there was a little fight between the boys, or one of them got down because of failing at an exercise, it was Marco who handled the situation. They were a dynamic duo; if there was one thing Marco knew would always work in his academy, it was Jerry’s and his cooperation.

He drew in a shaky breath when he saw the van turn on the corner. His stomach flipped again as he imagined the talk he was going to have with Keith. Actually, he couldn’t imagine it. He didn’t have any plan and he knew that it would be pointless to have one – the teenager would surely come up with an answer that would leave Marco speechless and he wanted to look strong, not someone whom Keith can manipulate and corner easily.

His worries were needless. As the kids jumped out of the minibus, Marco couldn’t see the boy with the unfortunate life between them. Ronnie came along, and he waved at Marco as the little group rushed past him towards the locker room to get ready for training. They loved coming here, it was their only escape from the monotony of their orphanage lives. Marco walked to the bus, just to be sure, but there was no one left inside. He closed the door and showed the driver that he could leave. He hung his head low as he watched the white car get smaller and smaller in the distance.

It was when he turned around that he heard a rattling sound. It was like something hard rolling on the ground, intermitted with sharp clanks whenever the same thing hit the pavement. The blond turned back again in curiosity, and he just saw Keith arriving on his skateboard. He looked out of breath and his shirt stuck to his body even on this rather chilly late-summer morning. He was heading right towards Marco and the blond couldn’t decide if he was going to hit him or not. In the end, Keith jumped off his skateboard right before him and grabbed it with the same fluent movement. He had done this a countless times already.

“Good morning!” Marco said, swallowing down his anxiety. Keith grumbled something that could have been taken as a greeting with a good amount of goodwill. “Can we talk?”

“Do we have to?” Keith retorted, putting his earplugs away in his pockets.

“I think so.” Marco admitted. He was going to be honest with Keith. He wouldn’t pretend to be someone being unaffected by their conversation yesterday, but he wasn’t going to let Keith know how much it had shaken him, either. He would get the wrong reaction with it.

“Just cut it short.” Keith sighed.

“I hoped we could move this to my office.” Marco suggested.

“Well, we can’t.” Keith shrugged. Marco was hitting a thick brick wall and he was losing his hope to ever tear it down.

“Okay.” He took a deep breath. “I wanted to tell you that I’m grateful that you shared your story with me.”

“Glad you enjoyed it so much.” Keith snarled without looking at Marco.

“I did not.” The blond said. Was he ever going to finish a sentence without being interrupted? “But it meant a lot to me that you trusted me with it. I know what you are about to say–” He raised his hand to stop Keith from making another mocking comment. “You don’t trust me. After yesterday, I can see why it is, and I am not surprised. Knowing what you’ve been through, I have to say that I probably would have done the same. When– When I came out,” he lowered his voice like he always did when he was talking about those troubled months, “I was feeling much like that. I hated everyone, it looked like no one understood me, and everyone turned their backs on me. I had teammates who would support me and reassure me that they stood by me, but honestly, I thought they were just teasing me, or wanted to have my trust just to crush it a few days later. Experiencing the shit I was getting from the rest of the world, it was hard to believe that they meant well.

“So I am not surprised that you are feeling the same way about me. Suddenly, I am all nice to you, and you have trouble accepting that. It’s okay. I don’t want you to do it. I only want to tell you that–” His voice broke. _Come on, just a few more words!_ “That not many could have gone through what you have been through and come out of it like you. I think you are a great brother to Ronnie, Keith. He looks up to you, and he always talks about you to the other kids. He loves you, and you are the only one left to him. I know you think that he is wrong and that you are a horrible person. I speak from my own experience. But you aren’t, Keith. No one can blame you for trying to keep everyone away from you. I just– _hope_ that one day, you will find the good in yourself again. Not for my sake, but for Ronnie’s and your own.”

He had no idea how he managed to get through it and he was quite convinced that he couldn’t do it again. His nervousness returned and he almost threw up as he dreaded Keith’s reaction. He didn’t get any. The teenager stood dumbfounded and stared into the nothingness over Marco’s shoulder. His knuckles turned white as he grasped his skateboard and his whole body was tense from the many emotions battling in him. He looked like someone who would break down any minute.

“If you don’t want to be here today, it’s okay.” Marco added. He started off towards the academy. “I will sign the paper for you.”

He cast a final glance at the teenager, hoping that Keith would tell him something, just anything. He would have been pleased with a telling off. He only needed a little clue about what to expect in the next few days from Keith. It wouldn’t come. The boy stood still like a statue. At the moment, Marco thought that he wouldn’t move even if a fly landed on his face. The blond gave up with a sigh and walked on. He was standing in the doorway when the teenager’s voice stopped him.

“Marco!” It was the first time he called him by his name. Marco spun around maybe too eagerly. He saw confusion in the hazel-green eyes, but also a ray of hope. “Is it true? What you told me. Or are you simply lying to get close to me?”

“It _is_ true, Keith.” Marco said in a husky voice.

“I–” Marco had never heard Keith be this unsure. “I have never considered what you were going through.” He admitted and stared at his feet in guilt.

“It is okay, Keith.” Marco hastened to ease his mind. “You were a little boy, you couldn’t have acted like an adult.”

“It was too much on me. I cracked.” Uttering every word was a struggle for him. “I– I stopped caring– and I became a monster.”

“No, that is not true!” Marco shook his head, but Keith didn’t hear him.

“I hated Ronnie for being so clingy. Can’t he see what a horrible person I’ve become?!” He cried out. “He always tells me that he wants to be like me when he gets older.” He laughed. “I only want him to be _nothing_ like me.”

“Keith, don’t be too harsh on yourself.” Marco said.

“He really tells you nice things about me?” Keith suddenly jerked his head up and looked Marco in the eyes. There were tears in his own ones.

“He does.”

“Thank you for telling me.” Keith stammered. Marco held his look for a moment and then nodded.

“Go home, Keith.” The blond said. “Or wherever you feel good. If you want to, you can stay here, or use any of the rooms inside. I don’t expect you to do anything today.”

He didn’t wait for Keith’s answer. He could already see that the teenager was mad at himself for being weak in front of his old enemy. Marco understood that it could turn into another outburst very easily. What Keith needed now was solitude and time to think about who he was and what he really wanted. No one could help him with finding that out.

Marco kept his eyes on the floor in front of him as he stormed through the corridor. He was taking deep breaths to stop himself from crying. He wouldn’t have thought that it could go this well and bad at the same time. He was glad that he could connect with Keith a little bit, but he was completely devastated by the things he found in the teenager’s soul. There had been times when Marco had considered himself to be unfortunate, but looking back, it was not even close to what Keith had been going through. At least, Marco had been a grown-up when he had faced the difficulties, but Keith had been only a small kid. He didn’t deserve his fate. No one deserved such a fate.

Marco focused on the training when he arrived at the pitch. He watch the kids chasing the ball and for the first time, he really understood what they were doing for these orphans. These children were the victims of life, and whenever they came here, they experienced something good happening to them. For many of them, it might have been the first thing they could really be happy about. And Marco was proud of what he had started here.

Five minutes later, Keith appeared on the backyard. He moved like a ghost and Marco was afraid of his state, but he looked like he knew what he was doing. He walked over to his sketches on the wall, stared at them for a minute, and then started to paint the wall white, removing his work.


	30. Two Brothers

“Nico, aren’t you coming for lunch?” Judy asked him with pleading eyes. The boy with brownish blonde hair turned back to her apologetically.

“Sorry, I can’t. Not today. I’ve promised something to Seb.” Nico explained, holding his girlfriend’s hand.

“Should I be worried?” Judy smiled at him.

“Why?” Nico asked, taken aback.

“I’m not sure,” she drawled. “I mean, I don’t know Mr. Kruse, but he doesn’t look like the nicest guy in the world, or someone I would like my boyfriend to do favors for.” She admitted, blushing. She was so adorable when she let Nico see how much she cared about him. The teenager boy smiled at her tenderly and cupped her face in his hands.

“You have nothing to be afraid of.” He said seriously. “Seb is a great guy, and you will see it once you get to know him. He is only distant to strangers to protect himself. I guess he does it to make sure that he really lets only those close to him who are willing to give him a chance for being the person he is. And he is full of love, he just doesn’t show it all the time. In fact, he asked me to look after Uncle, so that’s what I’m doing.”

“Okay.” Judy gave in with a lopsided smile. “See you after lunch, then.” She said goodbye to him and left.

Nico didn’t stay for much longer, either. He took a deep breath and readied himself for what was ahead of him. He knew he didn’t have to do it. Seb hadn’t asked him to do it in particular, but he still was sure that this was what he had to do. Not for Seb, but for Marco and himself. He reached into his rucksack and got out two cans from it before he left the storage room and started off towards the training pitch.

As he walked down the corridor, Seb’s words echoed in his mind. The raven-haired man had talked to him in the morning, right after they had arrived at the academy. Nico had known that Marco and Seb had made up the day before, it had been obvious from the way they treated each other, but the teenager was still mad at Seb. How couldn’t he see that Marco was having trouble at the academy? The signs had been so obvious, and Seb had always read his love easily. No, the problem hadn’t been with his skills. He could have read the signs, but he wouldn’t, because he had been too caught up in his job. Okay, maybe Nico had had some advantage, because he saw Marco at the academy every day, and saw what a hard time Keith had given his uncle.

Keith! The last person Nico wanted to talk to, and yet, he was headed the other teenager’s way. Keith was sitting on the ground, scribbling in his sketchbook. Seb’s voice appeared in Nico’s mind again. _Look after him, okay_? He had told Seb off after his strange but understandable request. Now was Nico supposed to do the job Seb didn’t do as Marco’s boyfriend?

“I’m glad you finally realized that Marco isn’t doing well!” He had shouted at Seb. He had expected some kind of reaction from the other man, but Seb looked completely unaffected.

“Nico, please! I have listened to my pangs of conscience all night long, and believe me, I’m the biggest critic of myself; I really don’t need to hear your accusations. I know I’ve fucked up.” He admitted in an almost bored tone. It made Nico so angry.

“You bet you have!” He yelled. “And now you want me to help you make up for it? Don’t you think it is a bit pretentious?”

“I don’t want you to drop in a few good words for me at Marco.” Seb explained. “I only want you to look after him and intervene if this Keith is doing something bad. I can’t be by Marco’s side all the time, and despite my latest behavior, I do care about him and don’t want to see him sad. So, can you help me out with that?”

How could have Nico said no to that? He had no idea if Keith had done anything wrong to Marco again – as far as Nico knew, Keith’s mere presence was wrong –, but he simply felt like they had to talk. He approached the boy from behind, and he was a few steps away when Keith turned back. He wore a bored expression similar to Seb’s. They could have been father and son, except that Seb had some love in him. Nico had heard many stories from Marco or his mother about Seb and what an obnoxious person he once had been, but Nico didn’t remember any of it. Growing up, he always saw Seb as the cool uncle every kid wished to have. Needless to say that his mother wasn’t delighted by this.

“Can I sit down?” He asked from Keith.

“That depends on how long you want to stay.” He was once again immersed in his drawings.

“I want to talk.” Nico said firmly and sat down with his legs crossed next to Keith.

“You haven’t done that since I came here for the first time.” He pointed out.

“You didn’t give me any reason.” Nico shrugged. “But you’ve hurt my uncle, and I can’t ignore it.”

“So he sent you to talk to me and explain to me what a wonderful person he is and I’m stupid to dislike him.” Keith shook his head in disbelief.

“No, no one has sent me!” Nico snapped. God, this kid was impossible! How was he supposed to have any meaningful conversation with him? “Seb asked me to make sure that you won’t hurt Marco again, but I came to you on my own.”

“Wow, I must be the number one enemy in the Reus household. Or is it the Kruse household? Which one of the two is the manlier?” Keith mocked and Nico felt a sudden urge to slap him across the face. His nostrils widened and he clenched his fist, but in the last moment, he managed to compose himself and let go of his anger.

“You stop this, Keith!” Nico barked. “You think what you want about them, but they are my family and I won’t let you insult them or hurt them. Your little brother plays here, right? Tell me, what would you do to someone who hurt Ronnie?” Keith didn’t answer, at least not with words, but the short flare in his eyes told Nico everything the other teenager could image doing to a man hurting his brother. “Look, Keith.” Nico chose a friendlier tone. “I don’t want to convince you of anything, I don’t judge you or something. I just want to talk, okay?” They kept their eyes locked for a long moment, but then, Keith averted his gaze and sighed, giving in. “Want one?” Nico reached out with one of the cans in his hand.

“Cider?” Keith raised his eyebrow. “Are you supposed to drink that at work?”

“Well, it’s not as cold as I would like to, but it’s still refreshing.” Nico shrugged. “But Marco mustn’t know.” He laughed and opened his can. “Cheers!” He raised it and took a huge gulp.

Keith measured him for a second, but then copied him, opening his cider. He put away his sketchbook and rested his arms on his knees, staring in front of himself. They didn’t say a word for a long time, but Nico could feel that there was a sort of an understanding forming between them. Despite their obvious dislike for each other, there were more things common in them, and Nico hoped that they could help them understand one another.

“You know, I have a little brother, too.” Nico started in the end. “I know how annoying he can be, but at the same time, that’s not a thing I wouldn’t do for him if he needs me. It’s strange, isn’t it? Most of the time, he really gets on my nerves with his clinginess. Of course, he is getting older now, and it isn’t as bad as it used to be, but to Jule, I’m still the perfect brother and he wants to copy me all the time. It’s frustrating, because I know my own weaknesses and many times, I don’t want him to be like me at all. Can you relate to that?” He looked at the teenager sitting on his left.

“What do you want?” Keith’s eyes were on fire and he practically spat the words. Strange as it was, Nico was glad to see that reaction. He had been looking for it. Keith was on defense again, and it could only mean one thing: Nico had hit a sore spot.

“Nothing.” He took another sip from his drink. “I was just wondering if you were happy with the image you are showing Ronnie. If you are satisfied with the example you set for him…”

“You want me to believe that you haven’t spoken to your uncle?” Keith snorted. “I’m not dense or an idiot!” He hissed and started to get up.

“Wait!” Nico stopped him. “I honestly haven’t spoken with Marco. Certainly not about you. I just want to tell you that I understand you.”

“No, you don’t.” Keith said dryly.

“Okay, but I can understand your doubts.” Nico corrected himself. God, it was so hard to talk to Keith! He pushed you away with his answers, but at the same time, you just saw how much he was suffering, and you wanted to help him. “I’m an older brother, like you. I understand the responsibility you have. It must be even harder for you. You have lost your parents, and you are the only one Ronnie has. Of course he will look up to you, and I’m sure you don’t want that. You know that you are far from perfect, and that’s a wonderful thing.”

“Is it?” Keith sat back. He still didn’t look at Nico, and the German started to have the feeling that he was talking to a brick wall.

“Not many would admit that they are not perfect.” Nico said. Keith didn’t answer him. “Can I ask you something? I know that you aren’t fond of Marco, but how do you feel about it? Does it trouble you that you are so cold to him?” The wall was dumb again. Nico finished his cider and was about to leave when Keith spoke up.

“I’m not happy with the example I’m setting for Ronnie.” He mumbled. “I don’t want him to copy me. In a way, I want him to do the exact opposite of what I’ve been doing. I’m not stupid, I know that what I’m doing isn’t helping me. The anger, the hate and all. But, I can’t change myself. There’s no chance for me. My life’s fucked up and no one can do anything about it. I’ve given up on me. All that remains for me is trying to make Ronnie’s life as good as possible. If he wants to play here, so be it. He clearly enjoys it, and you know what? I’m grateful for your uncle for that. But that doesn’t mean that I’m changing my opinion on him.”

“Because he is gay?” Nico croaked out. His throat clenched.

“No, it’s not because he is gay.” Keith shook his head. “Or maybe it is, but not the way you think. He once was my favorite footballer, but when he came out… you can’t imagine the shit I got because of him.”

“And have you ever imagined the shit _he_ got?” Nico suggested. He could see that he had caught Keith off guard. The other teenager finally looked at him with a dropped jaw. “It wasn’t an easy walk for Marco, either. I couldn’t really understand what was going on back then, I was too little to do it, but I’ll tell you how I saw it, if you are interested.”

He waited for Keith’s answer with his breath held. He had never talked about this with anyone, not even his parents or Marco. In their family, Marco’s coming out was more or less a taboo. No one ever mentioned it, fearing that the memories would hurt the blond. Nico had respected it, but he didn’t agree with it. Somehow he had always felt that his parents and grandparents were antagonizing Marco in a way, as if he wasn’t someone to be looked upon for his bravery.

In the end, Keith only nodded. It was easy to miss, the movement was that slight, but Nico was watching him very focused.

“Thanks.” Nico smiled at him. “I’ll start with saying that we got along very well with Marco. He indulged me and loved me with all his heart. I was always looking forward to his visits. He would take me to the city, buy me toys my parents wouldn’t get me and so on. You could say it was a normal relationship between me and my uncle.

“But then, things changed. Not that he started to love me less, but one day, he came to visit with another guy. It was Seb. I didn’t get that they were together, like _that_ way. Seb liked me, too, and honestly, I couldn’t really care if they were more than friends or not. The question didn’t even occur to me. But, I understood that Marco wasn’t taking me out anywhere. We were either in our house, or in Marco’s. One day my Mom told me the truth. She looked to be so– stressed about it, and I didn’t get it. Why would it be so bad that two men loved each other? All I knew was that they loved me and I loved them. But Mom’s secrecy opened my eyes. The world cared, and Marco didn’t take me anywhere, because he was afraid that I would give them away. I was a little boy, I spoke what was on my mind.

“So we stayed at home all the time, and between the four walls, it was great. I started noticing the signs of a couple on Marco and Seb, well, the ones I knew of. But, there was also sadness in Marco’s eyes, and he was unhappy. It was clear, and I didn’t understand, why it was. He was a successful footballer, he had a loving boyfriend and family. What else did he want?

“I was in school the day his secret became public. It was different for me, because in Dortmund, everyone loved Marco, and most people supported him. Or at least, they didn’t show me their hatred for him. Marco was suffering in the aftermath of his coming out, but as the storm slowly calmed down, I saw him like I hadn’t seen him in a long time: completely happy.

“You can think what you like. Maybe his coming out ruined your life, I don’t know about that. But if it had to happen another time, I would want him to come out again. I looked up to him, and he gave the world a lesson in being proud of yourself. And I don’t know why you listen to those who hate or mock him or someone who admire him just because he is gay instead of the many more people who see his coming out as a good example for other gay men.”

Keith remained silent for a long time, and Nico hadn’t expected anything else. He knew he couldn’t convince the other boy. It wasn’t even his goal. He only wanted to give Keith another perspective. It was clear that he wouldn’t listen to Marco or Seb, but Nico was a teenager just like him. And Nico hadn’t been kidding: if Keith wouldn’t change his attitude towards Marco, and hurt him again, he was up for a hard time.

“You asked me if this was the thing I wanted to show Ronnie.” Keith finally croaked out, pointing at himself. “It isn’t. I want him to see _that_ from me.”

He pointed at the wall around the academy. It was perfectly white and Nico didn’t understand for a moment what the other one meant. But then, Keith reached for his sketchbook and he gave it to him. Nico looked at him for reassurance, and Keith nodded. The light brown haired boy opened it with trembling fingers and was immediately immersed in the drawings he saw there.

They looked like graffiti, but nothing like Nico had ever seen. They weren’t separate images, but related scenes telling one story.

It started with a little boy watching his favorite team on TV, and celebrating his idol’s goal. The footballer on the screen didn’t look like Marco, but Nico supposed it was meant to represent his uncle. Then, the kid kicked the ball on the pitch. It was probably the strongest image Nico had ever seen. He could see the grim determination on the boy’s face, and it was obvious just from that one drawing that he had tried this kick countless times already. His legs were tense and Nico almost felt like the ball would start moving at any moment.

The next scene wasn’t that happy. It showed the boy hanging his head low and staring at his feet, with the ball flying above the goal. Then, the ball rolled back to his feet on the next image, and when he looked up from under his eyebrows, he saw his idol. Nico turned to the next page impatiently and saw these two playing together. Then the kid played with boys his age in a team, and he slowly got older and older, until Nico reached the last page.

It was the biggest picture of all, and Keith was probably going to paint it on the academy’s building’s wall. It showed the boy, now grown-up, wearing his favorite team’s jersey, a crowd watching him from the stands, but it was impossible to make out their faces, except for two. One of them was the boy’s idol, older than before. The other one was a small kid in the first row, watching the footballer with gleaming eyes and in awe. It all gave the whole story a cyclic feel, and Nico had the urge to start over again and flip through the pages one more time. Instead, he looked at Keith amazed. He wouldn’t have thought that the teenager was this talented.

“Just wow!” He gaped. “I– this is incredible!”

“Thanks. Oh, and how did you say it? Marco mustn’t know.” Keith smiled mischievously, and Nico nodded. This boy was full of surprises.


	31. A Peaceful Afternoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, not much happens in this chapter, it's pure fluff and lightheartedness, but I thought it was time for such a chapter in the story, I hope you will like it. :-)

Seb couldn’t get out of his office quick enough. He was supposed to pick up Marco and Nico at the academy, and he checked his watch anxiously as he drove through Manchester. He had screwed up on so many levels. He had completely neglected his boyfriend and Marco had every right to be mad at him. He was mad at himself. He had taken Marco’s love and affection for granted and didn’t see it as something fragile and in need to be nourished. It could have had horrible consequences and he was lucky that it hadn’t come to that. He had come to his common sense just in time, and he had made a promise to himself that he would never repeat this same mistake.

He told Klopp that he wouldn’t be available for the afternoon training. Just like that, and the older man didn’t ask him why he needed that time off. He must have seen that Seb wouldn’t go into a detailed explanation anyways. He was talking dead seriously and he had already made his decision. Right now, his private life was more important to him than job, and in the future, he would have to find a healthy balance between these two things. No professional success could be worth it if he would have to lose his love because of it.

The minibus with the children from the orphanage just drove away when Seb parked his car. Marco was standing next to the front door, and when he saw his boyfriend step out of the car, he beamed. Seb’s heart missed a beat. It wasn’t often that he really understood how lucky he actually was to have Marco by his side, supporting him, but this was such a moment. He took a deep breath and walked over to the blond.

“Hi love!” He greeted Marco with a quick peck on his lips. “How was your day?”

“Quite good, thank you.” Marco’s smile grew even wider if that was even possible. He reached for Seb’s hand and he grabbed it firmly as they stepped into the building.

“Keith?” Seb asked the most important thing. He knew that Marco wouldn’t find his peace of mind until he got to speaking terms with the teenager again. And then, he wouldn’t stop until he somehow saved Keith’s life. Seb knew his boyfriend too well. He saw the look in Marco’s eyes whenever he talked about Keith or Ronnie. He saw the firm determination and belief that Marco’s meeting with Ronnie hadn’t been an accident. The blond thought that he was supposed to help the brothers and he would do it, not caring about the costs.

“We talked.” Marco said simply. “It wasn’t a world-shaking revelation from his part, but I guess we are back to where we started, and that’s improvement. At least he said goodbye to me when he was leaving.” He shrugged as they reached the office. “Jerry, that’s it for today, thank you for your work, you can go home if you like to.” Marco addressed the young man sitting at one of the desks.

Seb measured him with a suspicious look. He had heard a lot about Mario’s brother-in-law and he had caught a glimpse of him on numerous occasions, but it was the first time when he could really get to know him. Apparently, Jerry was doing the same, because a pair of observant hazel eyes scanned over Seb. Marco watched the scene with a growing anxiety, realizing what exactly was going on.

“Hey! I guess I haven’t had the chance to introduce myself!” Jerry now stood up and walked over to Seb with his hand reached out. “Jerry Smith.”

“Seb Kruse.” Seb shook his hand, not taking his eyes off the young man’s face. “I’ve already heard a lot about you.”

“I hope only the good things go to you. Based on what I’ve heard from Mario, you are not the kind of person I’d like to have as my enemy.” Jerry responded without a single muscle in his face moving. He was used to these situations and he was up for a little battle with Seb.

“Well, Marco’s more than satisfied with your work, and that has to be enough for me.” Seb shrugged and let go of the other man’s hand. “How do you find working with the kids?”

“I’m sure it isn’t as exciting as working with the great stars, but I enjoy it. If you know the key to them, you get a group of enthusiastic young fellows hungry for your instructions. Many say that it is hard to get along with them, but I’ve always found it an exaggeration. It’s usually the adults who make their own jobs harder.” Jerry elaborated. “And how do you find life at United?”

“I get by.” Seb shrugged.

“I see.” Jerry hummed. “I don’t want to look rude, but I guess I’ll grasp the chance Marco has given me and go home now before this scene could get really awkward.” He laughed somehow wryly before he picked up his backpack and started off towards the door. “See you tomorrow, Marco!” He waved and then he left.

“What was this about?” Marco put his hands on his hips as soon as the coach was out of earshot.

“A little first chat.” Seb answered.

“You were assessing him like good in a shop!”

“I did not.” Seb defended himself. “I only wanted to get to know him better. I care about who you work with, Marco.”

“And what have you found out?” Marco asked, and Seb had to suppress a contended smile. No matter what his boyfriend actually said, Seb’s opinion mattered to him. He had accepted long ago that Seb was better at finding out the real nature of people, and he always consulted him before letting anyone get really close to him.

“Nothing.” Seb turned to Marco. “I wasn’t assessing him at all. I meant what I said. You are satisfied with him and that should be enough for you. I trust your instincts.” He stepped to Marco and wrapped his arms around his neck. He was about to kiss him when Nico opened the door on them.

“Oh, sorry to interrupt! I didn’t know that you–” He mumbled, looking strictly only at his feet. Seb smiled under his nose and let go of his boyfriend. They had never hidden their love for each other in front of Nico, and the teenager really should have gotten used to it by now, but maybe he was only in a phase of his life when he didn’t want to see any manifestation of love from his family members. “It’s just that Judy’s parents won’t be at home until late tonight, and I was wondering if she could come with us.”

“Do her parents know about it?” Marco asked immediately, but Seb stepped forward before he could ruin Nico’s day.

“Sure thing.” He winked at the boy whose face lit up immediately. He knew better than to ask for a confirmation, and he hurried out of the office before Marco could speak again.

“What was this about?” The blond asked from his boyfriend for a second time in a short period.

“I just stopped you from becoming an unbearably evil uncle.” Seb shrugged. “You’re welcome!” He joked and flung his arm around Marco’s waist and pulled him closer, looking for forgiveness. “I don’t want to take Nico away from you, but Judy and he aren’t kids, if they want to spend some time together, they will. You can’t do anything about it, so it’s better to have them in our house. Or did you have anything special planned for today?” He smirked.

“Nothing.” Marco grunted, not looking at Seb, and the raven haired knew the reason for it very well. Marco wasn’t angry at him at all, and if he looked at him, he would have started to laugh.

Marco was still in this feigned resentment mode when they went to the parking lot. The teenagers were already waiting for them, although Judy didn’t look so excited about her afternoon spent in their home. Nico on the other was upbeat and he didn’t pull his hand back from her waist even when his uncle walked over to them. Obviously, he didn’t have any problems with expressing his love for his girlfriend.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Kruse!” Judy greeted Seb politely while he unlocked the car.

“If you call me Mr. Kruse once more, it won’t be good!” He laughed, and seeing Judy’s pale face, he quickly elaborated. “Just call me Seb, okay? I like to believe that I’m still young.” He winked at them and it finally pulled a weak smile out of her. “Okay, all aboard! I’ve had a rough day at work, and I can’t wait to stretch my legs out a little bit!”

 

* * *

 

Seb did as he had planned. As soon as they got home, he went upstairs and lay down in their bedroom, ready to take a quick nap before the dinner Marco had promised to cook. Seb wouldn’t have thought that his job would be this exhausting, but he gathered it was only a matter of time and getting used to it. Plus, right now, he was doing work he wasn’t supposed to do at all. The few days he had been asked to take over the youth team stretched into weeks now and while he enjoyed working with the younger players, he was annoyed that he couldn’t get to do the work he had come here to do. Although Klopp reassured him all the time that the defense was working perfectly, thanks to his dutiful work back in America, Seb had concerns. The practices they had had in the training camp were meant to be just a start, a solid basis they could build on, and he felt like he was losing momentum because of his new position.

“Seb, could you come down here and give me a hand?”

Marco’s call from downstairs brought him out of his nap. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and climbed out of bed. He stumbled out of the room and started off down the corridor. There, something caught his attention. Something wasn’t right. The door to Nico’s room was wide open and as Seb walked past it, he glanced inside. Judy and Nico were sitting meters away from each other, and Seb couldn’t walk by without stopping.

“What exactly are you doing in there?” He inquired, unable to suppress his amused smile.

“Well, I thought that Uncle would like to see what we’re up to.” Nico mumbled, cracking his knuckles.

“For God’s sake!” Seb cried out. “You are not in a prison! Now sit right next to your girlfriend, or you will be in serious trouble!” He threatened laughing, and Nico was quick to obey. Seb shook his head in disbelief and as he continued on his way to the kitchen, he closed the door after himself.

He really needed to talk to Marco about raising kids before they would adopt one. He came to a sudden halt when he noticed how he had formed that thought. It wasn’t conditional, he knew they were getting there. He had known it for some time, practically ever since Marco had mentioned it for the first time. They were such a couple: if one of them wanted to do something, no matter how long it took, sooner or later the other one would agree to it. Not that Seb had anything against the idea. Although at first he freaked out, he had come to appreciate the thought not so frightening. After all, why couldn’t they have kids on their own? Well, they wouldn’t exactly be _their_ kids, but they would love them and care about them as such. He was still musing about it when he entered the kitchen.

“What makes you so happy?” Marco asked, smiling at him. Seb had no idea that his thoughts sat out on his face, and he wouldn’t have expected that they would express themselves in such a straightforward way. Or that they would make him cheerful. But he wasn’t going to give Marco the pleasure of telling him what exactly he had been thinking of. It wouldn’t be him; he had to play with his boyfriend just a bit more. Yes, life with him wasn’t easy, and he knew it.

“Let’s see! A short nap after work, being awoken by the sweetest voice in the world, delicious smells awaiting me in the kitchen, not to mention the impressive young man I’m talking to right now… I wonder which one of these makes me the gladdest.” He teased Marco, who burst out laughing.

“You haven’t been drinking, right?” He raised one eyebrow. His eyes were twinkling with happiness, and it warmed Seb’s heart. No matter what he did in his profession, no accomplishment could be as fulfilling as making Marco happy.

“No.” Seb shook his head as he slowly sneaked closer to the blond. “But I guess I got dazed from the love I feel for you.” He whispered into Marco’s ear and he embraced him from behind. Marco bit down on his lip, but a soft moan still fled out, much to Seb’s satisfaction. He groped with one hand about Marco’s groin, and he made sure that his intentions had succeeded. “Right now, darling? There are children in the house!” He chuckled softly.

Marco took him by surprise. He quickly spun around, pushed Seb against the fridge and claimed his mouth forcefully, pressing his tongue against Seb’s lips until they finally granted it way into the soft cavern of Seb’s mouth. The younger one was shocked so much that he couldn’t think straight. Or maybe it was the way Marco kissed him relentlessly and his hands sliding under his T-shirt, the long and elegant fingers running up his abs and chest.

“Be careful what you ask for, Seb Kruse.” Marco whispered in a low tone. It was Seb’s time to whine. Marco’s words vibrated in his body, and all the waves seemed to be headed to a specific part of his body. “You aren’t the only one in this household who knows how to drive a man crazy.” Marco’s hand slid down Seb’s body now, but just before they would brush over his hardening manhood, the blond pulled his hand back, making Seb let out a helpless groan of frustration.

“Do you think that Nico and Judy will go out in the city in the evening? I have some plans with you.” Seb gave in to his desires.

“In that case, I hope they will.” Marco laughed and let go of Seb, returning to the oven.

“Speaking of them…” Seb remembered the original reason for his start of a conversation with Marco. “Do I need to tell you what you did wrong back at the academy, or have you already figured it out?”

“Very funny.” Marco groused playfully. “You’re simply buying his love with these little gestures.”

“And making his life bearable in the meantime. I know, I’m such a good spirit.” Seb sighed and Marco suppressed his laugh with a snort. “I hope this wasn’t a sign of disagreement?”

“Not at all.” Marco turned to him again. “You know, I missed you. I mean, this Seb, the one who brightens my days and teases me.”

“And I’ve missed those sparkles in your eyes.” Seb admitted and placed a quick peck on Marco’s cheeks before he walked over to the kitchen cabinet and started to set the table. “So why have you called me down here?”

“To set the table.” Marco said amused and Seb winked at him. They were on the same wavelength again and it was one of the best feelings. It was only Marco who made him whole, and he had forgotten about it in the last days. “And I would like to ask another favor from you.” Marco continued. Seb put all the plates on the table and gifted his boyfriend with his undivided attention. “Okay, so in the weekend, we have an audition match at the academy. There are a lot of interested parents who want to bring their kids to us. It is a huge step for us, and I was wondering if you could come and watch the game. Jerry will be there and he promised to invite a few coaches he knows, but I would be glad if you would be there, too. I trust your eyes, and I’m sure you could spot a talent where others couldn’t.”

“Hm, when is the match?” Seb asked, having a bad feeling about it.

“Saturday afternoon. Three o’clock.” Marco answered, looking at Seb with hopeful eyes.

“I can’t make it.” Seb shook his head. He had feared it, and he was sorry to bring his boyfriend down; he would have liked to be there. Marco’s reaction was worse than what he had expected. The blond’s smile vanished in a second and he paled, shock taking over on his face.

“What? But why? I thought that you cared about the academy…” He stammered, acting like he was on the verge of crying. Maybe he was.

“And I do.” Seb walked over to him. He grabbed Marco’s hands and looked him deep in the eyes. “I would like to be there and help you, but I won’t be at home. The season starts this weekend, have you forgotten?”

The sudden realization sitting out on Marco’s face now told him that it was exactly what had happened. The blond’s shoulders relaxed and his color returned. “God, what an awful boyfriend I am! I did forget about it! I’m so sorry! You are playing Swansea, right?”

“Yes, we do.” Seb calmed him. “It’s okay, you’ve had a lot on your mind lately. I promise that I will be at the next audition match.”

“What next match?” Marco frowned.

“Well, I suppose your academy will keep growing and there will be more and more children coming to you.” Seb smiled at Marco and the blond returned it.

“Wait, that means that I won’t be there on your first match as an assistant coach, either! Gosh, maybe we can postpone that audition game!” Marco reached for his phone.

“There’s no need to do that.” Seb took Marco’s phone. “You will be there for me in your thoughts, and that’s enough for me. And next weekend we play at home, so you can see me amaze everyone.”

“Are you sure that it is fine?” Marco asked.

“I am. And you really don’t mind that I can’t be there for you?”

“Gosh, Seb! How can you compare these two games? A Premier League match and an audition match?” Marco snorted.

“They are equally important to me.” Seb stated and he could see how much he moved Marco with that.

“The next time you will be there, just like me.” Marco answered, and Seb took a deep breath in relief. They had found the way to each other again, and it was the affirmation he had needed.


	32. The Season Starts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to update this story after a long break. I haven't been quite satisfied with the last chapters, and I had to sit down and think about what went wrong with them. I already have a few ideas about how to shake things up a bit and make this story enjoyable hopefully for you, too. And I have a storyline ready for you in the upcoming chapters, I'm curious what you will think about it. But until then, please let me know how you feel about this chapter, if you'd like to. :-)

In the end, it was only Marco’s big day that worked out as planned. Despite all their efforts, United lost their opening game. Seb wasn’t particularly troubled by the defeat, rather by the manner of it. It was the defense that lost the match. _His_ defense, or at least it should have been his. And yet, he couldn’t recognize the principles he had tried to implement in their game. While he had coached the youth team, Walker had taken over his responsibility for the A team, and he had successfully ruined the foundation Seb had laid down in America. He didn’t give voice to his feelings though, not right away. He fumed only in himself, but he was quite sure that Klopp saw what he thought. The head coach looked like he had come to a big decision, and just two days after the match, Seb could return to his role as an assistant coach with a youth team manager finally appointed.

Seb could only take his mind off his failure thanks to the good news Marco told him once he got home. The audition match was a success and drew a remarkable attention not only from the parents whose kids tried themselves out. More and more poorer families enrolled their youngest offspring in the academy, and Marco grinned from ear to ear from seeing his project really take off. His victory wasn’t completely sweet though. He had to swallow a bitter pill, and it came in the form of a local businessman.

Marco had founded this academy for the less fortunate families, and he had been clear about that right from the start. And yet, on his big day, a wealthy investor turned up and tried to bribe his son into Marco’s academy. The blond didn’t like it at all. He gave the boy a chance, because he saw that he was very eager to show his skills. And he indeed had something to show. Under normal circumstances, Marco would have been glad to admit him, but something about the boy’s father troubled him and it manifested itself just after the audition match.

The businessman, Mr. Cook, waited for Marco and followed him into the office. He announced his intention to sponsor the academy. It wasn’t the most horrible news Marco could imagine, but Cook made sure that the blond knew what it would really cost them. In his opinion, the money he would put in the academy would entitle him to have a say in the matters of how it was run, and Marco wanted to refuse without a second though. It was only Jerry who intercepted and thanked Mr. Cook the offer and promised him that they would think about it.

Marco thought about it, a lot, but he came to the same conclusion every time: he didn’t want to have sharks around who would misuse their fortune. Yes, he was looking for sponsors and supporters, but he had always imagined that they wouldn’t see his academy as business, but as charity with a noble and sincere quest. Cook’s appearance dispelled all his hopes.

“You can’t do much about the way he thinks.” Seb said after Marco retold him his meeting with the businessman. They were sitting on their couch, watching football. “You can’t expect that everyone will be like you. It is wonderful that you are willing to help the kids selflessly, but not many are willing to do the same. The likes of Cook think differently than you. They see competition everywhere. For every pound they invest, they want to see some income.” He explained, and Marco smiled about how easily his boyfriend had gotten used to the English culture. He already spoke about pounds and miles, something Marco still found extremely hard.

“Because you don’t see competition everywhere…” Marco noted playfully.

“You know what I meant.” Seb raised his eyebrow.

“And I meant what I said.” Marco smiled.

“You know me too well, Marco Reus.” Seb sighed, feigning resentment.

“But seriously, what do you advise me about this Cook guy?” Marco asked for Seb’s opinion.

“Agree to his offer. It’s too good to refuse, and you really could use some financial support. I know that you don’t like it at all, but Jerry is right. Plus, if he really is a ruthless businessman, well, you don’t want to get him angry with you. But sit down with him and agree on every single detail. Make sure that he knows how much say he can have in running the academy. And then sign a contract with him. That’s the language these guys understand. He won’t be able to opt out then or try something on you later on.”

“I know I’ve fallen in love with you for a reason.” Marco chuckled when he considered Seb’s advice.

“I hope there’s more to it than that.” Seb teased him, but as Marco was trying to steal a kiss from him, he quickly took his head away so he could see their TV screen as an interesting attack just started.

“Yes, sure. Having a football maniac for your boyfriend is always fun.” Marco sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Sorry? What did you say?” Seb asked. He didn’t even look at Marco, his eyes were still glued to the action on the pitch.

“Never mind.” Marco waved his hand.

 

* * *

 

“Did you want to see me?” Seb asked the next morning when he entered Klopp’s office at United’s training grounds. He had arrived full of energy and plans. It was so great to be back at training with the A team, to have everything under his control again. He had a lot to do, and he couldn’t wait until he would get to it.

“Ah, yes, Sebastian, please sit down!” The older coach looked up from a bunch of papers laid out on his table.

Seb recognized them after a short glance. Those were the reports he and other coaches and analysts had written about their match at the weekend. Now it was time to utilize them and explain the players what they did wrong and make sure that they wouldn’t do the same mistake on their first home game against Leicester. They still had five days of intensive preparations ahead of them and Seb was optimistic.

“I’d rather stand and keep it short if it’s possible.” Seb noted half-heartedly. To be honest, he really didn’t have time for this right now. He had to be out on the training pitch with the defenders, doing drills and exercise positioning over and over again, until they would finally get it right. And not only most of the times. No, Seb aimed for at least ninety percent before he could send them on the pitch with a peace of mind.

“Sure, why would you make my job easier, right?” Klopp sighed, but a faint smile played on his lips. “And that’s exactly what I want to talk to you about. I am extremely happy that you are back, the defeat made it clear that we still have to improve a lot and mostly in those aspects where you can help me out a lot. _But_ ”, he emphasized “, I want to make sure that you won’t forget some guidelines you should keep to. That you are a team player now, for example.”

“If this all is about Walker and how he screwed up my defense…” Seb started, but Klopp’s eyes flashed and it silenced him immediately.

“My point exactly!” He roared. “It isn’t _your_ defense, it is _ours_! And if you want to criticize Walker for his decisions, let me remind you that I was the one who entrusted him with this task.”

“You do realize that I have no problem criticizing you for that, right?” Seb hit back and Klopp had to capitulate before that remark in the form of his characteristic laugh.

“Of course I know!” He wiped two teardrops out from his eyes after he finally caught his breath again. “That’s why you are here. And I would like you to stay here, but if you don’t play by the rules, I cannot guarantee that. You are a valuable member of the coaching staff, but not valuable enough for me to risk losing everyone else’s support.” He explained. Seb was lucky that he also had an analytical mind that now made sense of Klopp’s words, otherwise he would have easily felt offended.

“Look, Sebastian! I know that Walker and you didn’t start your cooperation the best way. But there might come a time when you will need his help. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could count on him then? Be more patient with him, that’s all I’m asking. Once he sees that you actually have good ideas and that they work, he will accept it, and maybe he will even tolerate your unique style. But until then, you will have to be considerate of his and other coaches’ methods and expectations. Can you do that?”

“I don’t have much of a choice, do I?” Seb asked sourly, but he was quick to reassure his boss. “Don’t worry, I know what this is all about. I will watch my tongue, I promise. I don’t have enough time to implement my idea of a defense anyways, so for now, I will have to make some vital adjustments to the system we played against Swansea.”

“Thank you. That’s very mature of you.” Klopp nodded and he returned to reading the reports. “So how much chance do we have in your opinion?”

“Against Leicester?” Seb mused for a moment. “They play a simple, direct football, but it’s very effective, there’s no doubt about that. It can get uncomfortable for us, unless of course we hurt them more before that. An early goal could shut them up. They haven’t become one of the big guns yet. When they are trailing, they still sit rather deep, not risking conceding another goal. And if we switch off their key players, we can prevent any creativity. Ninety minutes of focus, that’s all we need.”

“It would win us every game, to be honest.” Klopp smiled. “The coaches will have a meeting before the morning training session where we will go through the game plan and the training schedule until the weekend. Don’t be late. And come up with a list of concrete steps, if you haven’t yet.” He smirked, knowing very well that Seb was already prepared. Seb acknowledged it with a similar lopsided smile before he left the office and started off towards his own.

He passed Walker’s room on the way. At first, he just stormed past the open door as quickly as he could, but as he left Walker’s potential field of view, he halted. Klopp had planted a bug in his mind and now it kept whispering something. Seb hated to admit it, but it was partly right. He sighed and slumped his shoulders, but he turned back nonetheless and walked over to the doorframe, knocking on it quietly.

Walker was watching a cut version of the match, the one Seb had seen countless times. It showed every Swansea attack, and each one of them was a dagger in his heart, seeing how dismantled the back four looked like. Walker must have felt the same, because before he jerked his head up, he looked very troubled. Seb couldn’t miss his first reaction upon seeing him, that of derision and annoyance. Well, at least the older man didn’t leave any doubts about how he felt about him. But it was better than it could have been. Seb had always preferred a sincere enemy over a false friend. Mostly because an enemy could be convinced to join your side with lot of energy and care.

“Um, could I come in?” He bit down on his lip.

“What do you want?” Walker asked, only maintaining the slightest hint of interest not to be rude.

“Well, we still have time before the meeting. I thought that maybe we could go over the game again and share our views. Maybe we could come up with something together. Something we didn’t see on our own. What do you think?” Seb suggested with his best smile, but considering that it was aimed at Walker, it still looked more vicious than friendly. It still delivered though, and a minute later, they were sitting side by side, counselling.

 

* * *

 

Marco arrived at the academy just in time to change before the kids would arrive. They had three training sessions since the audition match because of the bigger group of boys they worked with. Jerry was already leaving the office to get the pitch ready, but when he noticed Marco rushing towards him in the corridor, he waited for him.

“Sorry, for being late.” Marco apologized, trying to bring his tousled hair into some sort of order. “I took Seb to work first, and then I found myself in an awful traffic jam.”

“It’s alright, Nico helped me out.” Jerry nodded.

“He’s here, then? Great! He’ll have to inflate the balls before the afternoon sessions.”

“So Nico didn’t leave with you.” Jerry noted with a smirk. “I see our very own in-house relationship is blossoming.”

“Don’t tell me.” Marco sighed. He had accepted Nico’s romance now, and he honestly supported the ‘lovebirds’ as Seb called them, but having two teenagers fully in love and not really considering others around them all the time was becoming a bit annoying.

“Oh, and the Cook boy is here, as well.” Jerry said. “His father has brought him. He hoped to talk to you, but couldn’t wait much. He left a bottle of scotch for you though.”

“Ugh, can’t he stop bribing me?” Marco groaned.

“Hey, this time, it’s an exquisite present. One of the bests!” Jerry said.

“You can have it if you like.” Marco sighed, reading the coach’s thoughts. A satisfied smile spread across the younger man’s face.

“And he also wants an answer to his offer.” He noted.

“I told him I would give him one when I make my decision.” Marco rolled his eyes.

“And he thinks that this should be the time.” Jerry said. “How will you decide?”

“I’ll probably take it, but only if I’ll be sure that he won’t stick his nose in where it’s not wanted.” Marco answered.

Their conversation was brought to an end by the sound of the van from the orphanage stopping in front of the building.

“I’ll get dressed in a second!” Marco said rapidly and snuck into the office.

He closed the door and walked over to his table where he kept his training suite. He quickly sneaked out of his clothes and pulled on his other trousers and changed his boots. He was about to put on his T-shirt when the door was opened. He spun around and froze in his place when he saw Keith in the doorway.

“Oh, sorry! I’ll– come back later.” The teenager muttered, obviously feeling uncomfortable about the situation.

“No, I’m ready!” Marco dressed his top quickly and smiled at the boy. “How can I help you?”

“Well, I was wondering if I could buy some new cans.” Keith stared at his feet. “I know that I told you that the paint you’ve bought should be enough, but I dumped the original concept and have to start from scratch again. If not, I guess I could find some money for them…”

“There’s no need to do that!” Marco cut in hastily. He was completely stunned by this conversation. Since when did Keith care about the wall painting so much? He hadn’t given any sign that he was particularly interested in doing a great job for Marco. Their relationship was still stormy, although Marco had seen Keith’s completely different side at the weekend.

Ronnie played in the audition match, and he looked so proud when he put on the acadamy’s jersey while the other boys auditioning wore their simple T-shirts from home. And Keith was on the sidelines, supporting his little brother. As much as Marco was interested in the match in front of him, he couldn’t quite ignore seeing Keith like that. At one point, after a possibly dangerous tackle on Ronnie which the boy avoided easily, Keith even looked like he would kill the boy who almost hurt his brother. But at the end of the game where Ronnie scored twice, he lifted the small boy and celebrated him like a champion, being all smiles and joy. Marco couldn’t help but think how much better it suited Keith than being the gloomy and closed teenager who didn’t let anyone near him.

And now this drastic change! Maybe the audition match convinced Keith, too. Maybe he finally understood that Marco was trying to do something here completely selflessly, and maybe he was willing to give him a chance after all. Now Marco had to be extra careful not to blow it up.

“Just write a list of what you need or order it online.” He said to the teenager. “Or I can give you my credit card if you need it right away.”

“No, it’s not necessary.” Keith shook his head and he finally looked at Marco. “I’ll give you a list in the afternoon. Oh, and would it be a problem if I stayed longer today? It should be raining tomorrow, so I want to use the weather today to do some more painting. And one of my friends has his birthday tomorrow, too. I was hoping that you could give me a day off?”

“Of course, Keith!” Marco said, still dumbfounded by Keith’s rapid change. But it also made him wary. If Keith was already asking him something, maybe he tried to manipulate him again. “I’ll ask Nico to stay here with you and he can lock up when you are done.”

“Thanks.” Keith nodded and turned around.

“Um, Keith!” Marco called after him. “Would it be a problem if I took a look at what you are planning? You could show me your sketches or something?”

“Well, I thought it could be a surprise for you and the kids, too.” Keith explained. “I can paint it in a way that it won’t make much sense until the very end. But if you insist, I could…”

“No, if you don’t want to show it yet, I’ll respect it.” Marco smiled. “Just make sure it’s nothing improper.”

“It is not.” Keith said, and mused on the words visibly before he started off towards the backyard to start his daily work.


	33. An Evening Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I haven't updated in a long time and abandoned the story. But lately, my fingers have been itching to write the next chapter, so here it is. I will be working on an original personal project, so I don't know how much time I will have for it right now, but I promise I will do my very best to stick to weekly updates at least. :-) I hope you will enjoy this update and maybe you will share your thoughts with me. :-)

“Are you sure you have everything you will need?” Marco asked from Seb. Actually, he wanted to grab his boyfriend’s bag and check its contents once again, but he held himself back.

“Marco, I’ll be away for one night. This,” Seb lifted his rucksack, “is already more than I will need.”

“That one night is already more than I can bear.” Marco snuggled close to the younger one, breathing in his scent, as if he was trying to remember it, to save it in every cell of his body, so he wouldn’t have any problem recalling it when he would feel alone in the night. “You rarely left me in Dortmund.”

“Yes, in Dortmund I was rarely needed on the sidelines.” Seb rolled his eyes. “Have you ever heard of an assistant manager who wasn’t in the stadium for his team’s first home match of the season?”

“No.” Marco gave up with a sigh. “I just wish you didn’t have to go now. I mean, the match is here in Manchester, why do you have to stay at a hotel in the first place? I never understood it.”

“Marco.” Seb called him exhausted. “You always did it with BVB. You didn’t retire that long ago. You know that the coaches can’t trust the players with taking it slowly the evening before a game. Should I remind you of how often you sneaked into my room when we were staying together?”

“Alright, there’s no need to do that.” Marco chuckled, finally accepting that his boyfriend would leave soon. “But you don’t have any program tomorrow, right? After the match, you can come home right away?” Seb nodded. “Good, we’ll meet at the stadium, then.”

“Are you sure you want to be there?” Seb asked Marco concerned.

The same worry had been in his eyes countless times in the last week. Marco knew perfectly well how much trouble Seb must have had at work; it was never easy to pick the team up after a defeat in the first game, especially not after a successful pre-season like the one United had had. And yet, looking at him, Seb was more concerned with his safety and well-being. They had talked about it so many times, and still, Seb was afraid that Marco going to his match would open old wounds, wounds Marco wasn’t ready to face.

“I didn’t buy a season ticket for no good reason.” Marco smiled at Seb, but it didn’t ease his doubts. “Relax, it will be fine. The United fans like you and no one will know that I’m in the stadium apart from those few who will see me there. Your own fans won’t hurt me. And even if they tried to, I’m past that incident in Liverpool.”

He said it as convincing as he could, but his voice still broke at the end of the sentence when he recalled the abuse he had to endure on that fateful night of Champions League football all those years ago. Seb didn’t miss the sign that something wasn’t entirely right with Marco, but he left it at that.

“Okay, I should be going then. Jürgen has promised to pick me up, I don’t want to let him wait.” Seb took a deep breath and embraced Marco. “Good night, darling! I will call you tomorrow morning!”

“Good. You will do fine, Seb.” Marco reassured him right before the raven haired stepped away and started off towards the front door. He called back to say goodbye to Nico and then he was gone.

Marco walked over to the window next to the door and watched as Seb walked down the stairs and the short pathway to the pavement where Kloppo was already waiting for him. The blond stood there right until Seb got in the car and they drove away.

“Anything interesting outside?” Nico’s careless question brought him out of his musings. He spun around and looked at his nephew.

“You could have come down earlier and say goodbye to Seb.” Marco pointed out without meaning to reprimand him.

“I know, but I was talking to Mom.”

Nico’s head hung low and Marco understood immediately that something was wrong and Nico wanted to talk about it. He had gotten better at reading his nephew throughout the summer and it helped him immensely with getting along with Keith. They still weren’t best friends, but the teenager’s hostility slowly vanished and their relations could be considered neutral.

“Does she want you to go home?” Marco guessed and Nico nodded. “Come on, you knew that this day would come. Summer is almost over and she would surely like you to be at home for at least a week. And your little brother, too. It’s not the end of the world.”

“I know.” Nico said, agreeing to everything that Marco had said but still trying to fight the reality and the inevitable end to his vacation. “But it feels so early. I’ve barely been together with Judy and now I have to leave her?”

“Nico, that should be the least of your problems.” Marco walked over to him and patted his shoulder. “You can talk every day and you know that you can visit us whenever you like. You surely have holidays at school, you can fly over here then and you can meet her.”

“That’s all well, but still…” Nico drawled. “What if she breaks up with me?”

“Has she given you any signs that she might be planning to do it?” Marco’s eyebrow ran up his forehead.   
“No, but–”

“Then there’s absolutely no reason for you to be worried.” Marco put an end to Nico’s protest. “You love her, she loves you, and I must say, I’ve become quite fond of you two. You will do just fine, okay?”

“Yes.” Nico sighed, and it told Marco that this wasn’t all. His nephew still had something on his mind but he didn’t want to share it with him. Marco reached for a trick he had learned from Seb and looked at Nico questioningly, but at the same time with an expression that wasn’t urging, as if he just couldn’t care if Nico would tell him anything more or not. “But you know, I feel like I’ve found my place here. At first, I wasn’t thrilled that you wanted me to work for you, but now I know that it is something I enjoy doing. The kids are amazing and I enjoy going to work not only because of Judy. And the city is amazing, too… What awaits me in Dortmund? The usual gray every day. Mom keeping me locked, never letting me do anything or go anywhere, no real friends at school, can you see now why I’m not looking forward to it?”

“Nico, it isn’t as bad as you think. I’m sure that Yvonne realized a lot of things during this summer, too. She won’t see you as her little son anymore. I think she has accepted that you have grown up and she will change how she deals with you. Just give her some time. And don’t worry about those friends, either. You are a cool guy and you will find someone who will honestly care about you sooner than you think, I’m sure about that.” He winked at Nico and the boy finally smiled.

 

* * *

 

Seeing the players, Seb was about to reconsider his opinion and admit that Marco might have been right. These lads looked ready to hit the pitch already and give their absolute best to make up for the slip-up from the week before. Kloppo’s speech played an important role in this change of mentality. He completely energized the squad and there was no question about what was expected of them after he finished. The strangest thing was that Seb felt as reassured and powerful as the players did, Klopp’s well-chosen words taking their effect on him, as well.

After that immense talk, his vague attempt to go into details once more and point out the opposing team’s weaknesses and strengths to look out for felt almost comical and he was stammering constantly, trying to find the right words and make a lasting impact the way his boss had done it. He gave up a few embarrassing sentences later and instead returned to his usual style, finding himself at ease and explaining everything on a level the players understood. He would have liked to believe that they were ready for the game tomorrow, but something in his mind still whispered doubts, the way it had always been.

He couldn’t get rid of it. It was a bad habit and he knew it. He should have leaned back on the night before the match and relax, so he would be in his best form, too, but he couldn’t do it. A thousand questions sprung up in his mind, he was afraid that he had overlooked something, that there was something he could still do but didn’t see. He wasn’t the best at dealing with big responsibility and he was making a real effort about it, but change was happening only slowly and he fell back into the same mistakes over and over again.

This night though, something entirely different clouded his thoughts. When the team meeting was over, he stood up, somewhat still dazed by Klopp’s speech and walked over to Erik.

“Hey, can I maybe talk to you?” He asked, looking at his feet. He was angry at himself for not being able to behave like a man, but there were limits to his cockiness, too, and he was crossing them right now.

“Sure. What’s up?” Erik asked back with ease, turning to his friend. He stood in the circle of teammates who slowly started to back away, understanding that their presence might not be needed.

“Um, it is a rather personal matter…” Seb drawled. “If we could move this to your room? I’m staying with Jürgen.”

“Yes, that’s no problem at all.” Erik stammered, obviously taken aback by Seb’s strange request. They were friends, but they didn’t go further than shallow chats about each other’s private lives, the usual with Seb. “Could you give me fifteen minutes or so? I will call Alex. Or is it urgent?”

“No, not at all.” Seb hastened to say.

He wasn’t behaving like himself at all. His heart was somewhere in his throat and the next moment it sank into the regions of his stomach. He had to grab a chair so he wouldn’t lose his footing. This couldn’t be true. He was very much like Nico whenever he brought up his relationship with Judy to Marco. But then, Seb’s big concern was something similar to the teenager’s problems.

Those fifteen minutes were the longest of his life. He paced up and down on the corridor in front of Erik’s room, because he couldn’t stay in the same room as Kloppo. The older man noticed his discomfort and inquired about it politely, but Seb didn’t feel like talking about it. Not with Klopp.

He knocked on Erik’s door exactly when the fifteen minutes were up and the brunet opened for him after five another stressful seconds. Seb practically burst into the hotel room, as if he was afraid of being caught or even seen, something that might cause unwanted questions. It was stupid. There was nothing more natural than a coach visiting his player to go over a tactical point once more, but Seb wasn’t visiting because of that and he was afraid that it might be visible to others as well.

“So, what’s going on?” Erik started the conversation with a friendly tone. He seemed to be elated after his talk with his fiancé and Seb felt guilty for possibly changing Erik’s mood in the next moment.

“Well, um, I–” He couldn’t find the right way to explain the reason for his visit and it finally caught Erik’s attention, too.

“Is there a problem, Seb? You are scaring me!” The footballer gaped.

“No, it’s– everything’s fine.” Seb reassured him quickly. “It’s just– I want to talk about something delicate and quite personal and have no idea how to start.”

“Okay, if this was meant to calm me down, it sucked at that.” Erik laughed, trying to ease the tension, to no avail. “Sebastian Kruse wanting to talk about a delicate topic, it rarely bodes well.”

“No, it’s nothing horrible, at least it shouldn’t be.” Seb explained himself and gave up. He was making a mess out of it and he had to change his approach. He took a deep breath and stated his most troubling thought clearly. “I just wondered if you could tell me how Alex asked you to marry him.” He admitted and felt blood filling his blood. His face must have been on fire.

“How Alex proposed to me?” Erik furrowed his brows. “Why does it interest you?” He asked and then took a long pause as realization hit him. “Oh my God!” He cried out in utter joy and excitement. “Is it finally happening? Are you planning to propose to Marco?” He practically yelled and his volume hurt Seb’s ears.

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it lately.” He said with his eyes closed. That’s why Erik’s forceful hug caught him by surprise and he stumbled back as the brunet wrapped his arms around his neck.

“God, that’s such amazing news! Marco will be delighted! I am so happy for you!” He didn’t speak any quieter, despite the shorter distance between his mouth and Seb’s ear.

“I’m still not sure about it.” Seb brought Erik down to earth a little bit.

“What? Why not?” Erik pulled back, bewilderment in his eyes.

“I don’t know.” Seb sighed, not understanding himself. “I love the guy more than I can tell and I want to live my life with him. I’m not even afraid of the commitment, I am ready to make that step and he is, too, I know it. It’s just– Marco deserves something special, you know? I can’t just ask him to marry me on the sofa. I want to give him something he will never forget, and I suck at those romantic things. You know, the sort that comes naturally to Alex.” He shrugged.

“Seb, that’s stupid! You know Marco better than anyone else. You know that he doesn’t–” Erik came to his rescue, but Seb didn’t want to take it.

“So how did it happen?” He asked in a way that told Erik that there was no point in arguing with Seb.

“Okay, we were back in Germany, visiting my parents.” He started his story and a wide smile spread across his face as he recalled that wonderful moment in his life, an instant reaction that brought a lump into Seb’s throat. “I took him for a walk in the Pfälzer. We climbed some hills and we found a wonderful little spot. The view was breathtaking and the whole thing was so– surreal. And yet, it was real. There was silence, a peace you can rarely find, you know what I mean?” He asked, unsure of his skills to depict something this magnificent, but Seb urged him to go on with a nod. “I felt that somehow that moment was special, that Alex had something in mind. And then, he knelt down and I couldn’t believe what was happening. The whole world ceased to exist, it was just the two of us, and it was so overwhelming. For a moment, I couldn’t even answer his question. I couldn’t believe my luck. Everything I have ever dreamed of was within an arm’s reach, or at least in a simple word’s reach… Hey, are you alright?” He was snapped back to reality looking at Seb, whose face had turned pale all of a sudden.

“Yes, it’s only that– you didn’t really reassure me…” He swallowed back a dry retch. “I could never give Marco something like that.” He shook his head and collapsed on Erik’s bed. “All these years, we were waiting for the perfect opportunity. You know, we thought that there would come a moment that we would both feel right to utter that question at the same time. It is a wonderful thought, I have to admit it, but I start to doubt that it will ever come. Or maybe it has already slipped past us.”

“Seb, you miss the whole point.” Erik explained with understanding. “It wasn’t the place or anything that made that moment special. It was just the pure reality, the purpose of it. That it was the two of us, making a promise to spend our lives together that made it that wonderful. It could have happened anywhere and anytime, and I would still remember it with the same excitement. You don’t have to make a real effort about making it special for Marco. _You_ yourself will be the special gift to him. You are right, there’s no point in waiting for the perfect moment. Every moment can be perfect. You will make it, Seb.”

“Do you really think so?” The coach looked at him with hope.

“Would I lie to you?” Erik asked, smiling. “Don’t you dare start thinking about it and answer me!” He snapped when he saw Seb’s eyes running from one side to the other as he mused over the possibilities in his head.

“Sorry, but I just can’t imagine myself you know– doing it. I guess you couldn’t believe it at first, either.” He shook his head. “I mean, look at me! I’m the antithesis of anything resembling romance!”

“That is not true, Seb! Marco loves you and no one else. Whatever you do, you hit all the right notes with him and you can make him happy! Stop worrying and be yourself. That’s the man Marco has fallen in love with.” Erik patted Seb’s back.

“Alright!” Seb sprung up all of a sudden, pulling on his T-shirt’s hem. He rushed over to the room, trying to hide the many emotions battling in him from Erik. His hand was already on the doorknob when he turned back and relaxed his features. “Thank you, Erik. It was really helpful.”

“You’re welcome, Seb.” Erik smiled warmly. “I wish you all the best and may you enjoy your life together.”


	34. Home Debut

Marco instinctively stopped when he reached the stand. There still was an hour until kick-off, but the first fans were already arriving and taking their seats. It was a thrilling and at the same time frightening sight. His heart jumped into his throat and he felt cold. He had watched all of Dortmund’s home games, sometimes with Seb next to him, other times the younger one sitting on the bank, but that stadium had always been a second home to him. He felt safe there, not afraid of mobbing or insults. The Dortmund fans loved him and Seb, and other fan groups in Germany forgot about his whole issue very quickly.

This here was different. He had no idea what to expect. He barely went to any English games, mostly the ones he had also played in, and no matter how he tried, that horrible night in Liverpool always came back to his mind. He knew that Seb noticed it too, and he secretly hoped that his partner would console him, but he also knew that he couldn’t run away from his past. He had to close that chapter in his life, look forward and give one more chance to the English fans.

Now, as he stood alone on the huge stand, he wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. Nico had volunteered to accompany him, but Marco refused. This was Nico’s and Judy’s last weekend together, and Marco didn’t want to separate them. He understood how bitter these days were for the teenagers, they didn’t need an uncle who needed to be taken care of in one way or another. Still, he wished he had accepted Nico’s offer. He couldn’t make it, and he was about to turn around and go home.

“May I pass?” A man dressed in United’s colors, not much younger than Marco tried to go past him. Marco smiled at him and politely took a step aside. The fan thanked him and started off towards his seat.

Marco let out a sigh of relief. The guy didn’t recognize him, and it filled him with new hope. Yes, he could do it. He wasn’t a big name anymore. The generation that had looked up to him had already found other idols. It was a sad realization, but at the same time, also liberating. It meant that he could finally be himself, free of any bonds and expectations.

He looked at the ticket he was gripping in his hand and checked the place that would be his. He needed to do this, equally for Seb and for himself. He couldn’t let his boyfriend down, even though Seb would totally understand him if he chose to go home now. But, Seb had always been there for him, and Marco had promised to himself that he would do the same for his love. He couldn’t turn around at the first obstacle.

He walked over to his seat and found the whole sector completely empty. He recalled the afternoons and evenings in Dortmund where almost the whole stadium would be filled by now and shook his head. England, the home to football wasn’t such a romantic country anymore when it came to this sport. The fans wanted success, and they thought it their right in return for them supporting their favorite club. The pressure was bigger, the expectations higher and now Marco understood why Seb took everything so seriously. These fans wouldn’t take a series of bad results well. They would demand some heads being fallen, and for some reason unclear to Marco, Seb was convinced that his would be the first one to fall.

A mild wave of clapping brought him out of his musings and he looked up to see what was going on. The players arrived on the pitch and took a look around. Kloppo was nowhere to be seen, probably was still performing his pre-game duties with the media, but Seb stood on the sidelines, inspecting the grass and completely immersed in this activity. Marco recognized that look. It was Seb’s working modus, when nothing around him really interested him apart from his job.

The next moment, Seb looked up, as if driven by a sudden idea and scanned over the block Marco was sitting in. He immediately knew where to look for his love and when he found Marco, he acknowledged it with a faint nod. The blond smiled at him like a lunatic, even though there was no way Seb could see it from this distance. But, his boyfriend didn’t forget about him and Marco could have sworn that for a moment, Seb was more occupied with his well-being than the match itself.

It lasted only a few seconds, because right after that, Seb checked his watch and clapped twice. All players jerked their heads up and returned to their locker room. Marco watched the scene with a dropped jaw. He couldn’t quite believe that his boyfriend could conduct these world-class players and football stars as if they were his orchestra, but this was the reality. And Marco was proud.

He awaited the match with the same pride. He forgot about Liverpool, he forgot about his bad experiences and sat there to endorse Seb’s big moment. He wanted to support his boyfriend and that was it. He wouldn’t let anything ruin it for him.

The other fans arrived slowly, and none of them seemed to care about him. Some recognized him, but apart from a few young boys of Ronnie’s age pointing their fingers at him and explaining something to their parents, he didn’t get any sort of reaction. There was nothing to be afraid of, all his worries were completely ungrounded. When his neighboring seats were taken, he greeted the fans happily and one of them even asked him about his academy.

That was the moment when Marco relaxed completely. The whole stadium was here to witness Manchester United’s first home game in the season. They wanted to spur their players and apparently, Seb was admitted to this family already, and also Marco. If there were disapproving voices, Marco didn’t hear them and as he looked at the stands now filled with people, he felt at home, too. A safe place where nothing could go wrong.

 

* * *

 

Everything seemed to be against them. Leicester were a tough opponent and it didn’t come as a surprise to Seb. What took him off-guard though was the reaction of their players. All of their hard work from the previous week seemed to go out the window along with their game plan after Leicester opened the scoring. It was a lucky strike, nothing more. There was no reason to panic, but something about the memory of last week’s failure must have come up in the players’ minds, because they started to run up and down the pitch. Jürgen shouted at them and instructed them what to do, but it was aimless. The structure was broken and Seb could only watch it helplessly.

He knew that they needed to stabilize everything and fight back, but he had no idea how to do it. He felt powerless. The crowd shouted and wanted the players to attack, but they did it without a plan and there was no way past the opposition’s defense. Seb couldn’t remain in his seat. He sprung up and walked over to Jürgen. They talked about different possibilities to avoid a catastrophe that was hanging in the air and could strike any moment. They were holding onto that one-goal difference, but it was temporary. The way they played, a second goal was imminent.

It came just after twenty minutes. Everyone in the stadium shouted offside, but the assistant referee didn’t agree with them. The goal counted and United were down to their knees, that’s how it felt to Seb. He couldn’t spot the result of the many defensive drills they had done ever since the start of the season. The players lost faith and it couldn’t be explained.

Jürgen remained as passionate as ever, yelling, gesticulating and giving strength to his players. He looked like he would like to substitute himself and bring some passion onto the pitch. Seb would have followed him without a doubt. The manager’s fire was so captivating that it should have worked and should have brought the team together, and yet, it didn’t. Something was missing and Seb felt the bitter taste in his mouth he hadn’t felt since Dortmund’s unexplainably bad season. There were many questions and he didn’t have the answers, the most frustrating feeling he could imagine.

“Any ideas?” Jürgen asked of him as the players were getting ready for the kickoff after the goal.

“Let the wingers switch sides.” Seb shrugged. It was a pathetic and desperate effort, the last refuge of a helpless man in football, and he hated to be that one. He needed more time to come up with a real plan.

Klopp must have noticed his despair. He nodded and returned to watching the game, but not before sending a reassuring glance at Seb. He knew that it was meant to help him and calm him down, but Seb wasn’t a man who could take such empathy. He was failing again and he might have been too harsh and demanding on himself, but he couldn’t stop the self-accusations streaming in his mind. It was an attitude that gave him countless sleepless nights during his career as a coach. He wanted to near perfection in everything and he couldn’t really rest until he felt on track.

But it was also an attitude that made him a fighter. He didn’t give up, because he couldn’t. He watched the match with even more intensity, going over multiple possibilities of shaking things up. He was looking for the pattern that made them such a poor side today, and a way to break it somehow.

The clock was ticking and half-time was getting nearer. He knew that they needed to score soon if they wanted to salvage their situation somehow. So, he stood up again and walked over to Jürgen to present his most plausible idea. To his utter dismay, Walker followed him. He knew that Jürgen will hate it. It would certainly look like crisis management, but they were in a crisis of a sort, after all.

“Bring Josh back and let Gary charge forward.” Seb said it as simply as he could. Just like he had expected, Jürgen frowned and imagined the outcomes of such a change, but Walker wasn’t so understanding.

“You want to switch a striker with a center midfielder?” He snapped. “This is preposterous!”

“No, it isn’t.” Seb didn’t even know how he managed to keep his calm. “They don’t put much pressure on our midfield, Josh can hold onto a ball and even though he isn’t a great passer, he could fulfil that role for the time being. They overcrowd the middle of the penalty box, we need a dribbler there, and Gary is the best one.”

“Okay, even if it works,” Walker started, more convinced of the idea, “it’s suicide! It could easily backfire.”

“Not that we have much to lose.” Jürgen groused as he walked to the side of the pitch and called Gary Biggs for a talk.

In all honesty, Seb had no idea what would come out of this change. It was his best shot and now the players were about to try it. The fans weren’t very pleased when they saw their striker, the one who was supposed to do the scoring, pulled back, but it didn’t trouble Seb much. He knew the English fans and that they weren’t really educated in football tactics. He sat on the bench with crossed fingers and hoped in a miracle.

It came. The change caught Leicester off-guard and they didn’t know what to make out of it. Manchester’s goal was lucky, they fought really hard to get the ball in the goal, but it happened and that was everything that mattered. The crowd burst out in ovation and the substitute players and coaches cheered as if they had scored the winning goal. Jürgen was more realistic. After a short celebration, he returned to instructing his players and telling them to focus. Seb realized that they looked more convinced. They believed that they could do something about this match and they walked into the locker room with this mentality.

Seb didn’t hear Klopp’s emotional speech. He read through the statistics, his job since they arrived in Manchester. He could make more out of it and quicker than Jürgen. His eyes scanned the pages, searching for the reason for their failing. It wasn’t there. They seemed to be doing everything well, or at least as it was expected, they were just unlucky. It was reassuring in a way, but Seb also freaked out. Maybe they hadn’t prepared the team well enough for the season.

He hated himself for not returning to the bench with the solution to their problems. It would have been so nice. Not because he would be seen as the savior of the team, he was long past that mentality. He wanted the best for the club and he wanted to bring joy to the thousands that came to see the match live. But, football wasn’t as easy and sometimes he had to accept that there were no answers.

Klopp on the other hand seemed to have done everything in his capability. The same eleven players returned for the second half, but in a completely different manner. They were spirited, fought harder, took risks and seemed to be faster and brisker than their opponents. They equalized in the first five minutes and a wave of relief could be felt in the stadium. Now, they had the advantage and everyone was looking forward to capitalizing on it.

Only the referee had other plans. Seb had never been one for blaming the officials, but even he couldn’t believe the penalty that came after an obvious and ridiculous dive from Leicester’s striker. He snorted and rushed into the technical area to protest with the fourth official. Klopp did the same and only calmed down when the referee mentioned the possibility of him being sent to the stands.

Just after they came back from a two-goal difference, they found themselves trailing again and the players hope that they had their fate in their own hands, vanished. Seb could understand them. The referee was on the pitch to make sure that the game’s laws were respected and every player looked at him with this belief. After such a decision, there was no wonder that their faith in a fair game was ruined.

Klopp did his best to bring order to the team again, but the same scenes that happened in the first half repeated themselves over and over again. Late tackles, fouls, unnecessary protesting, and everything that didn’t even resemble a football match. They made two substitutions, but it didn’t change anything. The players already lost the game mentally.

Then came the second disaster. It was a usual attack from Leicester, a quick counter-attack, something they should have taken care of. It was a standard move, something they had practiced countless times. But, the only defender near was Chris Weir and Seb closed his eyes, mumbling a prayer.

Weir started the move they had practiced many times. He caught up to the striker. He ran in the same rhythm. But when he was supposed to fling out his stronger foot and get the ball, he suddenly faltered and used his other leg instead, resulting in a clumsy move. A scene from the pre-season came up in Seb’s mind when he explained to Chris what would happen. He had been right, not that it was any consolation.

The striker fell to the ground and a second penalty was given, along with a red card to Weir. Jürgen shot out towards the fourth official again, and before Seb could stop him, he bumped into the referee who looked at him completely baffled. Soon, the main official ran to them and told Klopp to leave the technical area. Walker and Seb started to protest simultaneously, but to no avail. Klopp was sent to the stands.

“Seb, they are yours.” Jürgen gave out his last instruction before he accepted his defeat.

Seb couldn’t ignore Walker’s hurt expression, but he couldn’t care less about it. The weight Klopp had put on him was crushing. He knew that he was safe. There wasn’t going to be a fan who wouldn’t blame the referee for this defeat, but he still had to do his best.

He patted Weir’s shoulder as the player passed him on his way to the locker room. The defender looked annoyed but he accepted Seb’s gesture with a wry smile. After that, Seb turned to the pitch again just in time to see his team conceding another goal. He walked over to the bench to make the final substitution.

“Mario, get ready!” He called out to the brunet and his friend.

Mario nodded and rushed down the stairs to do a quick warm-up session.

“Are you mad?” Walker snapped. “One of our defenders was just sent off! We are losing 4–2 and you substitute an attacker? We should strengthen our defense before this becomes a humiliation!”

“We won’t.” Seb said firmly. He was in charge now and he wasn’t going to let his decision be questioned. “Our defense has never really worked and we will lose this match no matter what we do. There’s still around fifteen minutes. I want to go down with a bang, don’t you?” He asked and returned to the sidelines to tell Mario what he expected of him.

Despite the score and their most unfortunate situation, Seb found out that he enjoyed the task he had been given. He made small adjustments to the team to somehow stabilize their game, but they still conceded another goal.

But, they also didn’t stop trying. They pushed forward and just like Seb had expected, the fans liked it. They were rewarded with a goal just before the end of the game.

The three whistles brought Seb out of his frantic state. He was a different man during games, and he knew it, but he had never realized it as clearly as now as he accepted the handshake of the opposition’s coaches and congratulated them.

The reality slowly sank in. He was overcome when he understood what had happened to him. He was actually leading a team in a Premier League game, even if it was just for a few minutes and he couldn’t do much about the result. But, he still coached them in a real match environment, and the strangest thing was that he didn’t even realize it during the match itself.

Neither did he think about the implications of Klopp’s sending off. He only realized that the manager would probably get a ban when he was shaking hands with the players. It meant that he most probably would lead them the next game. He quickly ran over their schedule in his head and froze when he realized where they would play.

Liverpool.


	35. Job's Done

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this story is easy now, so maybe I will speed up with the updates. Anyways, please let me know what you thought of the new chapter. Your feedback is always welcome. :-)

Emptiness and silence everywhere.

The fans had gone home after another disappointment. This wasn’t Dortmund, Seb realized. Here, they wouldn’t stand behind them all the time, wouldn’t support them at all costs. He couldn’t understand it. Every empty seat at full time only made their job harder. How were they supposed to lift the players’ spirits when they all saw that they had brought so many people down?

Luckily, he had one loyal supporter. Marco was waiting for him next to his car. When he noticed his boyfriend approaching, he walked over to him with a wide grin. He snaked his arms around Seb’s strong waist and stroked his cheeks with his other hand. There was no fright in the movement and it told Seb more than anything else could have. He was still worried about Marco sometimes that the blond would have to relive the horror that had followed after his coming out, but apparently, Marco didn’t care about it just now. He wanted to spend this special moment with him, mindless of their surroundings.

“You did perfectly.” He whispered after a chaste kiss on Seb’s lips.

“The result says something else.” The younger one shrugged and stepped away from Marco, walking to their car and flinging his bag to the back seat.

After all these years, he still couldn’t face Marco after a defeat. His own conscience stopped him. He blamed himself for the loss and this self-inflicted punishment was his way to cope with it. He would be ready to talk with Marco again in a few hours, but until then, he was better left alone. The blond understood it and didn’t force a conversation when he knew it wouldn’t help.

They got into the car and Marco started it. He became a great driver. He had gotten used to the English traffic and drove with much more care and confidence than Seb did. They sat next to each other in silence. Seb shifted in his place now and then and sent momentary glimpses at his boyfriend. He wanted to read Marco’s face, but there was not much to be seen. It looked like Marco hadn’t thought about Klopp’s sending off or its implications. He only cared about the match today and how proud he was of Seb. That emotion couldn’t be hidden as it shone in his eyes. It flattered Seb, but it also strengthened his guilt. How many such people were there in the stadium or in their homes? People, who hoped that they would find the right reaction after last week’s defeat? People whom they had let down.

“Will you come with me to the academy, or do you want me to drive you home before that?” Marco asked as they reached a crossroad.

“Keith’s graffiti, right?” Seb remembered after a second of hesitation. “No, I’ll go with you.” He answered quickly, knowing how much this meant to Marco.

“Good.” Marco nodded, still careful not to show much emotion. It was killing Seb.

“I’m sorry I’m not the chatty type right now.” He apologized and reached over the gear. The blond took his eyes off the road for a second and held Seb’s hand. His touch was warm and his thumb drew soothing circles on Seb’s palm.

“It’s okay. We all deal with defeat in different ways. I wasn’t the perfect boyfriend after we lost, either.” He chuckled and Seb joined him. Marco used to become a sour and grumpy man, so no, he wasn’t an exemplar of graceful losers.

“And how does Keith’s masterpiece look like?” Seb inquired, determined to speed up his recovery. He wanted to be in top form when the teenager would reveal his work. Somehow, he was convinced that the result would awe Marco and he wanted to share his joy.

“No idea.” Marco shook his head. “He was careful to keep it a secret as much as he could. I saw parts, but they don’t make much sense on their own. He even covered some paintings and I didn’t dare look at them. I don’t want to risk another conflict with him.” He laughed and a meaningful silence fell over them. “I’ll miss him. Isn’t it strange?”

“Not at all.” Seb reassured him. “I knew this would happen. You can’t go untouched by others’ fates. I would be surprised if you didn’t care about him at all.”

“I just think I get along with him very well, and with Ronnie, too. We had a rough start with Keith, but we both learned a lot about each other. He isn’t such a horrible guy as he wants you to believe.”

“I know.” Seb nodded, trying hard not to dwell on the hidden layer of Marco’s words. He didn’t speak of it openly yet, but Seb couldn’t miss the signs.

Every single day after Marco came home from the academy, he started to recall his day with what happened with Keith and if Ronnie was playing there, with him, too. Everything else came second to that. He often started a long and passionate explanation of how hard orphans had it and that it was so important to help them. Seb didn’t doubt any of it, but he couldn’t get rid of the feeling that Marco was pushing him.

They didn’t mention adoption directly, but Seb didn’t forget his promise to Marco. If he was honest to himself, after Nico’s summer spent with them, the house would feel empty with just the two of them. But was he ready to raise kids? He wasn’t sure. There were days when he missed having a young someone around them who would come to him for advice or help, who would look up to him, who would call him Dad. But at the same time, Seb couldn’t imagine himself in that role. He couldn’t see himself be the father every child deserved. Marco would surely try to persuade him of the opposite, but Seb couldn’t get rid of that hurdle. And until it was in him, he didn’t want to make such a big commitment.

 

* * *

 

Nico and Judy were sitting on the curbstone when Marco parked the car in front of the academy. Jerry’s car was also there, but the coach was already inside. There was no sign of Keith and maybe it was for the better. Marco had to find a way to hide his excitement. His heart had decided to move into his throat and he had trouble breathing as they stepped out of the car. Seb sent him a reassuring smile before they joined the two lovebirds.

“I can’t believe how they can let a referee like that near the pitch!” Nico greeted Seb instead of a hello.

“And I can’t believe you are watching a football match on your last day here.” Seb copied Nico’s playful tone as he winked at Judy. The two got along extremely well, and it was clear right from the start that from Marco and Seb, the younger one would play the good cop.

“Oh, it was quite thrilling.” Judy joined the conversation. “Except for the result, of course.”

She, as a lifelong United fan started to talk with Seb about the game, while Nico and Marco exchanged meaningful looks above their heads. His nephew was worried about him and wanted to know if everything was fine in the stadium without asking it and looking too worried about him. Marco accepted it with a smirk and a warm feeling pooling in his stomach and answered with a nod. It dispelled Nico’s doubts and the teenager could smile wholeheartedly.

“Not to ruin this lovely scene, but I have other things to do today.” Keith suddenly appeared in the doorway and urged them inside.

He tried to play the cool guy, but Marco could see that he was as excited as anyone else. And he had learnt enough about teenage boys during the summer to be wise enough not to point that out. He let Nico and Judy go first, hand in hand. He had a suspicion that Keith had shared his plans with them, but no matter how hard he tried, his nephew wouldn’t give it away.

“Let’s go!” Seb stopped by him and held his hand. Marco nodded and they started off.

He needed his boyfriend’s support. His knees felt like jelly and there was barely enough strength in his legs to hold him up. He didn’t know what was going on. He was Keith’s boss in a way, and he had commissioned him this wall painting. If it was something unfitting or something he didn’t like, he could easily tell the boy to start over, or maybe paint the wall in a single color. Yet, he knew he couldn’t do it. Keith meant much more to him than a workforce. He wanted the boy to succeed. He wished that his graffiti would be wonderful, because he knew that it would make him as proud as he had been of Seb.

Deep in his heart, he knew that he wouldn’t be disappointed. Keith had been working hard and it was obvious that he had taken his job seriously. He tried out ideas and then did something different. Marco didn’t know much about this sort of art, but he could see right away that Keith wasn’t an amateur. His paintings had meaning and were full of motion. From what he had seen, he didn’t regret asking him for help. Then why on earth couldn’t he relax?

“Is everything ready?” Jerry stepped out of their office and closed the strange procession. One look at him revealed just how curious he was about this.

Anyone else would have made a ceremony out of this. Not Keith. Marco once again noticed how much the boy resembled Seb. Neither of them cared about the packaging of their work. They wanted whatever they did speak for itself. When they reached the end of the corridor, and the late afternoon sun shone through the door, Keith simply stepped away and showed them to go out and see his painting.

Judy and Nico saw it first in its entirety. It was impossible to decipher anything from their reaction, because they stood with their backs to Marco, and Jerry pushed past him to run on the training ground. Keith was the next to follow, but he stopped right at the other side of the door, reaching into his pocket, as if he couldn’t be bothered. Marco realized that movement. That was exactly how Seb tried and failed to hide his anxiousness.

“Come on, let’s go!” Seb urged him and squeezed his hand.

Marco nodded and made the few faltering steps towards the yard. At first, he looked at Keith. The teenager didn’t look back at him, busy with his phone. Then, Marco turned his attention to the others. He didn’t want to see the graffiti yet. He first wanted to inspect the reactions it got. He needed to ready himself for what was coming, otherwise he wouldn’t have the courage to look up and finally see what Keith had been working on.

They all stood in the middle of the pitch and Seb started to tug Marco that way, too. His boyfriend’s breathing sped up as he looked at the walls. Marco didn’t dare look up until they were next to everyone else.

When he did, he was overcome by the sight.

At first, he didn’t even believe what he was seeing. He had seen glimpses of Keith’s work, but on their own, they weren’t near as magnificent as together. They told a story and one scene lost its meaning without the others. He drew in a shaky breath as he watched the painting come to life in front of him. It was full of movement, change, and it had its own atmosphere. An atmosphere that described everything he tried to implement here with this academy.

His eyes took in the sight, but his brain couldn’t process it. He stared at the young boy learning from his former idol. He saw that boy grow and become better. He saw him fight himself through the different levels of football until he got the opportunity he had hoped for.

The picture painted on the building’s wall was the most breathtaking. Marco had planned to install a stand there if they would really join a competition with the boys, but there was already a painted stand there, full of life. The faces of most spectators weren’t visible, but it reminded Marco perfectly of the view he got during matches. There were only two distinct figures among the crowd: the footballer – now older, and a little boy, watching the match with the awe of an innocent soul who just met his idols.

Marco turned around once again to soak up the sight. He finally could make out the meaning of it all and when he got to the last image again, he could only repeat one sentence in his mind: _don’t cry_.

It was pointless. His knees buckled and his eyes welled with tears. This was much more than he had ever dreamed of. It was more than a painting and he saw it clearly. There was no way that the Keith he had gotten to know could have done something like this for him. He could see the result of Keith’s change in this painting. Somehow, it felt like the teenager’s way of saying sorry for all the hate he had shown to Marco.

The blond instinctively searched for him. He found him leaning against the doorframe, staring at his phone, but he sent careful glances at them, curious how they reacted. Marco let go of Seb’s hand and walked over to the teenager. He wanted nothing more than to hug him, but he knew it was out of the question.

“Keith, I don’t even know what to– this is incredible!” Marco gasped.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Keith shrugged, but at the same time, he also blushed and put his phone away. He avoided Marco’s eyes, and the blond almost took it the wrong way. Then, he remembered Keith’s life. The boy wasn’t used to receiving compliments.

“You really did your best and I can’t thank you enough.” Marco continued.

“Not like I had a choice.” Keith said coldly and pulled out a paper from his pocket.

Marco recognized it immediately. He had to sign it to tell the police that Keith had fulfilled his daily duty and served his charity service. The thirtieth one. Marco’s throat clenched at that. If he signed this paper, he would lose his only real connection to Keith. It didn’t feel like it in the last days, but his sentence was the only thing that bound Keith here. He had no other reason to come here other than that.

It was ridiculous. Keith deserved that signature more than anything, and yet, Marco hesitated simply because he didn’t want to lose a teenager with whom he didn’t have anything in common. He overcame his madness in a second and took the paper from Keith. He got his pen out and scribbled his name on the paper.

“But don’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed it at all.” Marco gave it back to Keith, smiling.

“Yeah, just maybe.” Keith shrugged as if it didn’t matter at all.

“Um–” Marco drawled. Keith looked set to leave and he wanted to prevent that. He had something on his mind but he had no idea how to serve it to Keith. “Well, just maybe I have an offer for you.” He tried. Keith didn’t look particularly interested, but he stopped and looked at Marco. “Nico is flying back to Germany tomorrow. We need someone responsible for the equipment. It’s not a hard job, you would only have to come here after trainings and put everything away. What do you say?”

“How much does it pay?”

“I’m sure we can reach an agreement.” Marco laughed.

“In that case, I’ll think about it.” Keith nodded.

“I have a bottle of champagne for this special occasion. Should we open it?” Jerry walked over them and ruined the somewhat familial mood. “Keith, could you give me a hand?”

Before Marco could say anything, the two of them disappeared into the building and he was left alone. Not for long. Seb joined him and planted a peck on his cheek before embracing him. Marco leaned into the touch. He hadn’t realized how drained out he was. It might have been because of the match, or the stress of seeing Keith’s painting for the first time. He only knew that he was exhausted and wanted to go home with Seb and lie idly side by side.

“What did he say to your offer?” Seb mumbled against Marco’s shoulder. The blond pulled back and looked at him frowning, which made the younger one laugh. “Marco, I’ve known you for twelve years. I know you offered Keith Nico’s job.”

Marco measured his boyfriend for another second incredulously. He had half-expected Seb to be mad at him for not discussing this with him, but there was no sign of anger in his expression. “He will think about it.”

“That’s good.” Seb nodded. “He will say yes.”

Jerry and Keith returned at that moment, carrying a bottle and glasses for everyone. Jerry filled them with the cold drink and they stood in a circle. “Well, to the academy and our talented artist here!” He raised his glass. Keith rolled his eyes, but it was obvious that he enjoyed the attention.

They all took a sip and Marco couldn’t help but enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. They felt like a unity. He found himself in a circle of friends and he enjoyed it.

“So, Seb, have you thought about how you will stop Liverpool next week?” Jerry asked all of a sudden.

The perfect moment was gone and Marco’s blood froze.


	36. Let Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but I suppose there's plenty of happening in it. Thank you for all who will read it, and if you would like to, please share your thoughts with me. :-)

Seb didn’t have anything particular against Mondays, but he was sure he was going to hate this one. As he arrived at Manchester training grounds and saw Klopp standing in front of his office, he knew that the manager had bad news for him. Klopp usually expected you to visit him for good news, and Seb’s heart sank. He knew what he was about to learn and it troubled him. He hoped that Klopp would get away with a warning, but he saw no real chance for it. No association would overlook a coach bumping into referees.

He wasn’t afraid of the task ahead of him. If he had to coach United against Liverpool, he would gladly do it. He knew that Klopp would take part in the preparations and he also had the older coach’s full trust. He would most surely find support among the players, too, with Erik and Mario in the first place. Strangely, it was Marco who had the most problems with the upcoming game.

After they had gotten home from Marco’s academy, the blond freaked out completely. He gave a lengthy explanation to Seb about how he shouldn’t take Klopp’s shit. Seb could understand his repugnance, but he had to disagree with his love. He was an assistant coach exactly to step in when the manager couldn’t perform one of his tasks. It wasn’t ideal, but he had to take things as they came and right now, it seemed that he had to get the team ready for a derby.

Of course, Marco didn’t speak about the biggest reason for his objection: he feared Anfield. He remembered what happened there years ago, the shouts and insults still echoed in his head, and he wanted to protect Seb. Not that Seb had asked for protection. He was a grown man, he could take care of himself, and he thought that his boyfriend knew it well enough. At one time during their discussion yesterday, he had enough of it and went away to clear his head. It wasn’t the right thing to do, but at the time, it didn’t look like he had any other choice. It didn’t solve their problems, but at least they ignored the topic after he went home again.

“I presume you have only great things to share with me?” He greeted his boss. Jürgen showed him a constrained smile.

“You might want to sit down for this.” He said half-jokingly, and it troubled Seb. He was ready for some things, but what if the situation was worse than expected?

They walked into his office. He couldn’t really offer Klopp a seat, because his room only held one chair, a desk, a computer and a TV, and of course countless files packed up in huge columns. He had tried to arrange them in a shelf, but he found out soon that he hated it. He let Klopp slump down in the office chair and he leaned against the window.

“So, what’s up?” He raised his right eyebrow in an expectant gaze.

“It seems I’ll have to break one of my promises to you.” Klopp sighed. It was obvious that he was honestly sorry about the developments. “I’ve got the FA’s decision this morning. I get a one-match ban and a pretty fine, not that I care about that one. You will have to coach the team in Liverpool, I’m sorry…” He shook his head.

“What about Walker?” Seb suggested, he didn’t even know why. Any other day, he would have fought for such a chance. Now, facing the reality of it, he wanted to back down.

“Please, Seb!” Klopp gave him a knowing look. “I’ve brought you here for a reason. You will get it right. I know you have what it takes. Of course, if you want to cooperate with Richard, you are free to do so. But honestly, I think it’s for the best if you two stay out of each other’s way this week. Our situation is bad enough without a tension in the coaching team. Focus on the team, and you will be fine.”

“Focus?” Seb repeated. He didn’t really like that Jürgen talked about the upcoming days as if it was a challenge for one only. “Where will you be?”

“I’ll be here, don’t worry, and I will help you. You will still have to tell me your ideas, but it is for the best if you lead the trainings until the match. This way, the players can get used to you, and you to them. It has never been any different with me and my assistants, and it is an approach that works.” Klopp explained and Seb now started to get why he should have sat down for this. Something told him that the manager wasn’t done yet.

“These still don’t really go against your promises.” He said dryly, urging his boss to continue.

“Yes, about that…” Klopp cleared his throat. He looked at his shoes at first but then looked up, straight into Seb’s eyes. “I think you should do the pre-match press conference.”

“What!?” Seb snapped, forgetting about his manners. “You can’t be serious! I’m no–”

“I hate it myself, but you have to understand the situation wholly.” Klopp tried to calm him down. “You know that it will be a special match. Not only because it is a derby, but also because of– hm–”

“Marco.” Seb finished the sentence, although he didn’t have the strength to face that complication, either.

“Yes.” Klopp nodded. “Given the past, I’m sure the papers will try to stir up the tension, and they will write about you, whether you like it or not. If I had to answer their questions, well, that wouldn’t send the right message.”

“I’ve told you I don’t want any of these political actions.” Seb hissed after a long moment of silence.

“I know. But politics found you.” Klopp shrugged. He was powerless here and Seb knew it. “Would you rather see long articles discussing your private life and why you are hiding?”

“Fine.” Seb gave in unwillingly after heavy considerations. Klopp’s words made sense, whether he liked them or not. “But only because of that! I’m not making any statements!”

“Once you are at the press conference, it is up to you.” The older coach raised his hand. “No one will tell you what to say. Thank you, Seb, and once again, I’m sorry.” He apologized honestly, not that it really mattered now. It wasn’t going to change reality. “So when the press calls us today for our reaction to the ban, we can tell them that you will take charge for the match, right?”

“Yes.” Seb rolled his eyes. He was looking forward to the sporting challenge, but he had to find a way to be completely okay with it. And a way to bring the news to Marco.

 

* * *

 

In the end, it turned out he didn’t have to have that hard conversation. He went home earlier to see Nico off. The teenager’s bags were already lined up in the hall, but there was another, smaller bag standing next to them that Seb recognized immediately. He was planning to stay calm and explain everything to Marco, to reassure him and rid him of his doubts, but when he saw that bag, he lost his cool immediately. He stormed into the living room where Marco was reading a magazine.

“Going somewhere?” He demanded.

“Yes, I’m going with Nico to Dortmund.” The blond answered, gulping audibly.

“And where were you going to share it with me?” Seb yelled.

He wasn’t one to easily lose his temper in his private life, but he couldn’t take another disappointment the same day. He was about to face his biggest challenge in his life, and he needed to have someone who would reassure him, who would stand by him. Klopp put him in a nice little treadmill, he didn’t need Marco to turn his back on him, too.

“Now?” Marco said, unsure. Seb saw guilt in his eyes, and he knew that Marco didn’t like the situation, either, but this time, it wasn’t going to matter. “I’m sorry, babe, it came all of a sudden. Nico asked me if I could go, and then Mom called. She was talking about me visiting them as a fact. I couldn’t say no to her.”

_But you can say no to me_ , Seb thought. “I see.” He said instead. “I’m just glad I came home earlier today. Otherwise I might have found an empty house waiting for me.”

“Seb, don’t make it bigger than it is!” Marco asked him. The blond stood up and walked over to him. “It’s just for a day. Tomorrow, I’ll be back. Or the day after that, the latest.” He promised, but Seb couldn’t believe him. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Maybe not to you.” Seb groused quietly and spun around and left.

“Seb!” Marco called after him and followed him with heavy steps. “I don’t want to leave like this. On bad terms.”

“No, of course you don’t.” Seb shook his head with a sad smile. “But you will.” He didn’t even stop, he continued on his way and let Marco walk behind him. “Should I give you a lift or have you already arranged a taxi?”

He must have guessed it, because Marco gulped once more and answered only hesitantly. “Um, I’ve called a taxi.”

“Great! I see you haven’t let anything for chance.”

“Would you at least stop so we can talk about it?” Marco was losing his patience, too.

“Why?” Seb turned back so suddenly that the blond almost bumped into him. “Can I change your mind? You have arranged everything! Without even asking me!”

“You didn’t seem to care about my opinion yesterday!” Marco hit back, meeting Seb’s tone.

“That was completely different! It is my job, Marco! I’m not going to run away when things get complicated, and until now I thought that you weren’t like that, either.” His words were a dagger in Marco’s heart.

“Hey, could you two calm down?” Nico stepped into the hallway and interrupted them. “I’ve told you, that this isn’t the way to go about it, Uncle!” He turned to Marco.

“At least there’s someone considerate of me.” Seb took the upper hand smugly.

“And you,” Nico turned to Seb, “why don’t you practice what you preach and listen to Marco before building the image of a perfect conspiracy in your head?” The teenager shook his head in disbelief as the two adults looked at him taken aback and unable to say anything. “You get five minutes. The taxi will be here then, and I’m leaving. You’ve already made sure that Mom gets her way.” With that, he left them on their own.

“What did Kloppo tell you?” Marco asked as if he was afraid to speak.

“He’s got a one-match ban. I’ll have to lead the team and do the press conference.” Seb said coldly, looking past Marco.

“Oh, God!” The blond sighed, understanding Seb’s anger. “I’m sorry, babe! I wish I could stay here and help you, but I’ve promised my parents. I miss them. It will really be just a day, I promise. Tomorrow evening, I’ll be back, okay?”

“Fine.” Seb groused. He hesitated, but then continued, sensing that something still hung in the air. “And I’m sorry I shouted at you. I shouldn’t have brought my problems at work home. I promise it won’t happen again.” He apologized without really meaning it. He was still mad at Marco and didn’t understand how his boyfriend could leave him on his own right now.

“It’s alright.” Marco mouthed and took a careful step towards Seb. When he saw that the younger one didn’t pull away, he closed down the distance and placed his hands on Seb’s shoulders, forcing him to look him in the eyes. “You will do fine, Seb. I’m sorry I didn’t act like it yesterday, you were right: this is your job and why you came to Manchester. I just panicked. I’m worried about you. You know what these derbies are like. I don’t want you to get hurt. Will you look out for yourself just for one day? After that, I can make sure of that.” He smiled bitterly, and Seb’s cold expression finally gave in.

“Okay.” He nodded, swallowing down his anger. “You look out for yourself, too.” He gave Marco a goodbye kiss.

Nothing was right between them, and they both felt it. This was a truce. They would have to talk about it, the sooner the better. They were making up for Nico’s sake first of all. Just like parents did, for their children, Seb noted to himself, but he couldn’t feel amused by the idea.

He stood in the hall and watched as Seb followed his nephew outside, carrying his bag with a heavy heart. Seb didn’t walk to the door. He didn’t want to see how he was left alone at what must have been the hardest time of his life. Maybe not that serious, but tough nonetheless.

He only knew one remedy for his bitterness. He grabbed his rucksack and walked into his workroom of a sort. He got out the hard drive with all of Liverpool’s games this season and readied himself for a long marathon of analyzing. He couldn’t even ask for a bigger task. Liverpool started the season incredibly well, with scoring whenever they wished and a solid defense that couldn’t be opened – and they didn’t concede during preseason, either. He reached for his notebook and started the first game.

He knew that Marco would have stopped him right now and told him not to work hard. But, Marco wasn’t there for him and Seb was determined to make the best use of his time alone. He could work undisturbed as much as he wanted, and at the same time, it would take his mind off the fact that his love, the man he wanted to marry soon, let him down. Or how easy it would have been to stop Marco. Seb knew that it would have taken just one sentence. A sentence he was too stubborn to say, because he thought Marco should have known it on his own.

_I need you_.

 

* * *

 

If there was one thing that Marco hated more than anything, it was lying to Seb. Not only his boyfriend looked past his lies most of the time, it also just felt wrong. He wanted to live his entire life with Seb and in that life, there was no place for lies and secrets. Still, this time, he had to do it. He was doing the right thing, even though Seb didn’t see it for now. It had been a tough decision for Marco, especially after he saw how much Seb needed him and wanted him to stay in Manchester, but Marco had to steel himself. Hurting Seb was the worst thing that could happen to him, and he could only hope that in the end, his efforts would pay off and make up for this row. Fighting with Seb always felt wrong. He looked at the younger one as a part of him, and how could you disagree with yourself?

He wasn’t sure of himself and his quest could backfire on him. Seb liked it when Marco read his thoughts and did what he needed without the younger one having to say it out loud, but he equally hated when others wanted to outsmart him and tell him how he was feeling. Still, Marco was ready to take the risk. He wanted to get rid of the obstacles in their way to a life lived together for real. He had long planned this journey home, and this felt like the right time to do it. Seb would have talked him off it, but this time, Marco had to act without his boyfriend’s support.

He took a deep breath, readied himself for the upcoming hour or so and stepped out of his car. His legs trembled and his heart was about to burst through his chest as he approached a house he hadn’t visited in a long time. He walked up the stairs to the front porch and stopped once more before the door. This was his last chance to turn back, but he couldn’t do it. He knocked on the door and waited impatiently.

When the door was open and a fragile woman opened it, Marco showed her his widest smile as he greeted her.

“Good evening, Mrs. Kruse! May I come in?”


	37. A Hard Talk

Mrs. Kruse looked at him bewildered for a moment, but then took a step back and let him into the house. Marco thanked her with a nod and crossed the threshold. He had never been here on his own and his visits with Seb weren’t that many, either. Something about the atmosphere of this place hurt Seb and awoke in him memories he didn’t want to face. Marco couldn’t be sure, but now he thought he felt it too. He was lucky to have a supportive family and a harmonious background at his parents’ home during his childhood; something that hadn’t been given to Seb.

“Is something wrong with Seb?” She asked with a pale face.

“No, he is fine.” Marco was quick to reassure her. “He stayed in Manchester, but he is doing fine.” _At least I think so_ , he added in himself, but decided not to utter it out loud. This conversation was going to be hard enough, there was no need for him to explain their latest row.

“Then what are you doing here?” She didn’t understand it.

“I was in Dortmund and I thought I would drop by.” Marco said with a smile, but not even he believed it. This had never been a household he would visit on a spur of the moment. She gave him a meaningful look, letting him know that she was aware of it, too, but she didn’t object. She didn’t even have the time. The next moment, Seb’s father came into the hall, and all of Marco’s plans were rewritten.

He wasn’t ready for the sight. He had a suspicion that something was wrong with Mr. Kruse, but he had no idea that it was this bad. The man standing in front of him could barely hold himself upright. He was thin and weak. His face was all bones and his skin lost its lively color, too. He gave the impression of an old man fighting with a disease. There was no need for a second look for Marco to know that he wouldn’t win.

“What do you want?” Frank Kruse’s expression got even colder, if that was even possible.

“Could we sit down and talk, please?” Marco tried to put as much begging into his voice as possible and he held his breath back, hoping that it would be enough.

For a moment, time stood still. The couple exchanged troubled glances and Marco pretended not to notice it. Something was very odd about their behavior. The blond saw no reason why they would keep his father’s sickness a secret from Seb, but apparently, they did. It made no sense. If Frank needed help, Marco and Seb could surely have helped. Marco had no illusions, he could only imagine how much the treatment cost, and the Kruses weren’t the wealthiest in town. Money was the least Marco could give them, but at the same time, he knew they wouldn’t accept it. Seb had to get his stubbornness from someone, and there wasn’t even a point in trying to persuade his father. If he didn’t want to do something, he wouldn’t do it, it was as simple as that.

“Okay, let’s talk.” Frank Kruse finally nodded and turned towards the living room. His wife shot him a worried look and took a step to him, with the clear intention to support him, but he waved her away. He straightened his back and tried to look like a healthy and powerful man, but it was pointless. The signs were all there, and Marco could only roll his eyes when he saw the old man’s pitiful trying.

Mrs. Kruse left for the kitchen, preparing some refreshment for the guest. Not that Marco wanted it. He wished to get done with this talk, especially now, that he saw how much needed it was.

He followed Frank, always only an arm’s reach away to grab him, if he would fall, which looked more likely after each step. In the end, they made their way to the couch somehow, and Frank slumped down gratefully on it. Marco took the armchair next to him. They sat in silence and the void between them felt bigger than ever. Frank Kruse hated himself for looking weak and he hated Marco for witnessing it. It made no sense, but then, it was a tradition in their family.

“I apologize, we don’t have coffee right now.” Mrs. Kruse entered, carrying a tray with three glasses and a bottle of water.

“It’s fine, water will be perfect.” Marco smiled at her. He felt guilt even for pretending to be happy in this house. He suddenly felt a bitter taste in his mouth for having a row with Seb. Where were their problems compared to Seb’s parents’ life?

“So how come Seb stayed in England?” She sat down, determined to get to the end of this mystery.

“Um, I’m not sure if you follow how he does at United…” Marco started. He needed some help from their part, too. He couldn’t get down to business on his own.

“We watch a game or two.” Frank croaked out and reached for the water.

His hand fell mid-motion, and it was Mrs. Kruse who came to his help. She filled a glass for him and carefully put it to his mouth. He shot her an angry look for being treated like a small child, but at the same time, Marco couldn’t miss the gratefulness in his eyes. He was reminded of a conversation Seb and his mother had years ago in front of him. Seb asked her why she was sticking to her husband, and she told them how much she still loved her. Marco hadn’t really understood it until now. She had countless reasons to hate him: he had chased their only son away, and as far as Marco knew, their relationship with their daughter wasn’t any better. Still, she loved him and took care of him like no one else could, because she accepted him for the man he was.

“Well, next week, they are playing against Liverpool.” Marco continued. “It is a big game and he is getting ready for it.” He took a deep breath. “Kloppo was sent to the stands during the last game, and he also got a ban. So on match day, Seb will be United’s coach on the sidelines.” He wanted to say it with the pride he truly felt, but the shock upon learning about Frank Kruse’s state overwhelmed him. He watched the parents’ reaction carefully. Mrs. Kruse’s eyes lit up, but her husband kept his cold face, his mask only fell away for a moment, and Marco could read him in that split second.

He wasn’t just watching one or two games. He was following his son’s career very closely. Marco’s announcement came as no surprise to him. He must have seen the match against Leicester and he knew what Kloppo’s sending off meant. Maybe he had read the press since then, Marco wasn’t sure of how much was public right now, but knowing the sort of connections these papers had, he was sure it was a lot. He swallowed back a smile over Seb’s father’s behavior and continued.

“I talked to Kloppo. He gets to sit in the VIP sector during the game, and he got a further few seats. I will be there, because I want to be there for Seb, but there’s still some seats free if you are interested…” He drawled and cursed himself silently. He was a grown-up man, why couldn’t he invite the parents of his love directly? He had only given them a chance to grab it, nothing more.

“It’s wonderful, Frank, isn’t it?” Mrs. Kruse cheered and held her husband’s hand. “Are you sure it would be fine and no one else needs those seats?”

“Does Seb know about this?” Mr. Kruse spoke up as Marco was about to answer. He closed his mouth immediately and shot his eyes down. The damn man was reading him like an open book!

“Not really.” He admitted quietly. “But I’m sure he would be happy.” He added with hope in his voice.

“I’m not that convinced.” Frank groused.

“It is very nice of you, Marco, to think about us, but Frank is maybe right,” Mrs. Kruse explained it to him more tactfully, “Seb has his own life now and if he doesn’t want us to have a part in it, then we’ll have to accept it.”

“Oh, come on!” Marco snapped before he knew it. It was impossible to deal with these Kruses sometimes. “I’m sorry, but you know your son better than anyone else! You know that he is complicated. He won’t let you know that he needs you, but he’ll expect you to know it anyhow! He will be glad to see you, I know it.”

“Really?” Frank mocked him with a smirk. “You’ve been living in England for a few months now. Since then, how many times did he inquire about us?” There was no accusation in his voice, only sadness. Marco couldn’t say anything to that, because ultimately, the man was right. “I thank you for visiting us, but it will be for the best if we stay here. We couldn’t afford the ticket or the flight anyhow.”

“Are you kidding me? You would be our guests!” Marco said. “I’ll pay for all your expenses.”

“We can’t accept that.” Mrs. Kruse shook her head.

He was banging on a brick wall that didn’t let through any reason, and it was killing him. He needed to get to them somehow. No matter what it looked like, Seb cared about them, he just wouldn’t admit it. Marco could see how much his father’s state troubled him after their dinner in Dortmund before they left for England. But, he wasn’t getting any answers from his parents, and he gave up. The problem was, that all three of them thought that their relationship was beyond help and repair, and Marco was determined to prove them wrong. If they didn’t even try, they wouldn’t succeed. And there wasn’t much time left for sulking.

“Okay.” He seemingly accepted his defeat. “But can I ask you how serious your sickness is?” He turned to Seb’s father against better judgment. The menacing look he got in return was already a punishment for his blatancy.

“That’s none of your business…” He hissed through gritted teeth. Marco understood that he was touching a very personal topic, but he wasn’t left any other choice.

“Right, should I tell this to your son when you die?” Marco mustered all his courage to hit back. A deadly silence fell over the room, and for a moment, the blond feared that he had indeed gone too far. But the next second, he saw that he made the two think and understood the seriousness of their situation. At least Mrs. Kruse seemed to be reevaluating her viewpoint. “Look, I’m sorry I brought it up, but I can’t ignore it…” Marco chose a gentler tone. “I can see that you are seriously ill, and all I ask you is let Seb know about it. He might surprise you. You are still his parents and I don’t know anyone who would like to be on bad terms with their parents. Give him a chance, will you? Please. It might be the last chance to mend your relationship, and it might be easier than you think right now. Just don’t give up on him, okay? If you love him, and I believe you do, please, don’t leave him on his own. This will be a big day for him, and he would be happy if you shared it with him. And when it comes to your illness, I think he deserves to know about it and maybe change his attitude towards you.”

He almost broke down in tears as he talked, something that Mrs. Kruse did. Frank hid behind his deadpan face, but Marco sensed that behind that façade, he was fighting with his emotions, too.

“Thank you for hearing me out.” The blond stood up, ready to leave. “You don’t have to decide now, but please, think about it. I only want to help you and the man I love more than life itself.”

“I’ll go with you.” Mrs. Kruse sprung up, wiping her face.

Marco was about to politely decline her offer, but then he saw that she needed to talk to him privately. He nodded and the two of them left. They stopped on the front porch.

“Thank you Marco, for visiting us. You told Frank what I’ve been telling him for months now.” She stammered on the verge of crying again. “But he is stubborn and he doesn’t want to look weak. It is stupid and he would be better if he accepted some help, but I can’t change him. And anyway, I think making up with Seb would do him a ton of good. He is troubled by their relationship, do you know that? He watches all of their games, and he supports them. For those two hours every week, he looks full of life again. Going to that football match and talking to Seb would be the best remedy he can get right now. I can’t promise you anything, but I will try to persuade him. He is a different person now. He is seriously ill and the doctors aren’t very hopeful. They told him to arrange everything which is–” Her voice broke and she flung herself against Marco. The blond embraced her and let her weep on his chest. He could only hope that this wasn’t the first time she could tell about her problems to someone, but he had the horrible suspicion that she felt herself completely left on her own. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…” She pulled back, sniffling.

“Don’t feel sorry.” Marco smiled at her. “I would like to help you. Is there anything I can do right now?”

“You already did more than I had wished for.” The corners of her lips trembled. “How is Seb doing really? Does he like his new job? Is he happy? Has he found what he was looking for?”

“Yes, he is happy and satisfied. I think he is afraid of this game, but I know he will do fine. He doesn’t know why I came here, and he wasn’t happy that I left him alone right now, but I had to do it. I can’t wait to get back to him and be his support.” Marco admitted. He felt sorry for Seb, but that moment, he cursed his boyfriend. It should have been Seb answering these questions.

“Of course, Marco. You did the right thing, and I’m sure that Seb will feel the same way. I hope we will make it to England. Both Frank and Seb need it. It is time to put their feud aside. You are right, they won’t get much more chances.”

“I’m staying at my parents’ house, my plane leaves tomorrow at noon.” Marco explained. “Here’s the address.” He got out a paper and scribbled it down on it along with his phone number. “I’m not sure if you have my number, but please, call me anytime you need some help, or if you have made a decision. And don’t worry about the money or anything. It’s the least I can do for you. I’m inviting you, all I ask from you is to talk with Seb, okay?”

“We will try to do that.” She nodded bitterly. “I should go back inside. Frank–”

“Yes, of course.” Marco understood. “Thank you for hearing me out, Mrs. Kruse. Goodbye.”

“Thank you, Marco!” She waved at him. “I will tell you our decision, and I hope that soon. You really are a wonderful human being, and Seb is very lucky with you.” She smiled at him. “Take care!” She said and disappeared behind the door.

Marco stared at it for a moment, and then turned around. The street was empty and he wanted to take a walk. He needed to clear his head. He felt drained and sad. In the end, he decided to drive straight home. He had promised his mother to be with them this evening, but he didn’t think it would work out. He needed to digest what had happened.

He drove through the city unable to concentrate. He should have felt joy for cruising these streets again. Everywhere he looked, he saw familiar buildings, but he couldn’t care about it. He let the many happy memories stay in the back of his mind, he didn’t even care about the countless shops with his favorite club’s colors. He wanted to get home, and the more he thought about his talk with Seb’s parents, the more he felt like he needed to cry on someone’s shoulders, too.

“How did it go?” His mother greeted him when he entered their house.

Marco didn’t look at her for a long time. He stepped out of his shoes, avoiding her eyes. “Could I have some time alone?” He asked as he walked over to the stairs, headed for his room.

“Of course.” His mother nodded, full of understanding. “But is everything fine, darling?”

“Yes, I think so.” Marco stopped to send her a reassuring smile. Based on her face, it didn’t work out.

He stormed into his room, closed the door and lay down on his bed. He buried his head in the pillows and took deep breaths to compose himself. He felt tears dropping onto the cushion, but he didn’t want to stop them. This was so screwed up and unfair! Why was he fighting for Seb’s happy family? It wasn’t his problem!

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he knew that it was. Seb was his love and he had to take him with everything that came with him. He couldn’t take his pick. He loved him, and he had to be ready to do anything for him, just like Seb’s mother did everything for his father.

Marco reached for his phone and dialed Seb’s number. He had to talk to him and apologize for real. The other one’s phone rang for long minutes, but no matter how much Marco tried, Seb wouldn’t answer it, filling the blond’s heart with dread.


	38. Sweat and Tears

Seb immersed himself in his job very easily. He watched Liverpool’s games over and over again, and also analyzed their own performances to find the solution for their problems and finally get a win in the season. The game plan was forming in his head and he lost all his perception of time. He knew perfectly that he was only running away from his problems, burying himself in his job instead of dealing with his personal life, but he was so used to doing that together with Marco that he had no clue how to go about it. Especially not when the blond played a pivotal role in his problems.

He fell asleep over his files and reports. It wasn’t anything unusual, but this time, his sleep was troubled and he woke up in the middle of the night countless times. He missed Marco and the silence of the house weighed on him, threatening to crush him. He gave up after three short naps and took a cold shower instead. He needed to clear his head, but when he did so, he could only think about his row with Marco.

It troubled him. He knew he shouldn’t have yelled at his boyfriend the way he had done, especially not before he planned to ask him to marry him, but on the other hand, he couldn’t understand Marco’s sudden idea. What on earth could have been so important that he had to leave to Dortmund immediately? The reason he had given was believable, but Seb had the suspicion that there was something he was missing.

Not that he was going to dwell on it for long. He had a quick breakfast early at dawn and drove to United’s training grounds. The porter shot him a curious glance, but Seb didn’t care. The night at least was long enough for him to go over different possibilities in the upcoming match and he believed that he found a viable solution. He had no idea when Jürgen would arrive at the training complex, not to talk about the players, but he wanted to get down to work as soon as possible. He stared at his watch anxiously, waiting for the first moment that wouldn’t be considered an ungodly hour and right when it came, he took action.

“Hey, Will!” He greeted the other one when his call was answered.

“Seb? Why did you call me?” Knox groused. Just like Seb had expected: no complaining, immediately sticking to business. He liked the other coach and he often regretted that he was working with the youth team.

“I need some help with the preparations for this week’s game. I’ll have to check with Jürgen, but I would like you to help out by the A team.”

“Okay.”

“You’ll also bring Wright with yourself. It’s time he proves himself at the top level.” Seb continued.

“This is getting interesting.” He could imagine Will’s smile.

“I hope so.” Seb laughed. “I want to surprise Liverpool. Hey, have you left home already?”

“Not yet. Why?”

“I also need something else from you…” Seb leaned back in his chair. He was going to make his career’s weirdest request.

 

Two hours later, everything was set up for the first training session of the day. Seb stood in the middle of the training pitch with Will on his side, Klopp on the other. The other coaches stood a step away from them. Weeks after working together, most of them still considered the German duo outsiders, and the latest resentment Walker took didn’t help their acceptance, either. The only player there right now was Wright, standing next to a big bag of balls, staring at his feet, maybe not even understanding what exactly was happening to him. Seb had told the young players when he was coaching them that they could earn a place by the professionals, but apparently they had taken it as nothing more than a patter.

The other players arrived in one big group, chatting and obviously having a great time. Seb didn’t really like it. They had suffered two defeats in the season, there was no reason for joy in the squad, but he couldn’t demand them to be gloomy. It wouldn’t have helped their cause, anyways.

“Good morning, guys!” Jürgen greeted them with a wide smile. The players formed a half-circle and looked at the coaches with questions in their eyes. They had a day-off the day before and were curious what would change with their manager’s ban. “Today we will continue working on our system. I know it hasn’t worked out the way it was planned, but I still have firm belief in what we are doing. We need to set things right and then we will get the results we seek.” He took a deep breath. “Unfortunately we also have some complications. I won’t be able to stand on the sidelines on the weekend, but I’m leaving you in good hands. During this week, Sebastian will coach you during trainings. I will take part, too, but only to observe and explain. For one week, what he says is what you do, do I make myself clear? I want you to work together so that it will be smooth on match day. Sebastian, they are yours!”

“Thanks.” Seb nodded. “Okay, before we start! I expect all of you to give your bests! Liverpool are a tough opponent and nothing else will suffice against them! I don’t care about the first two games, we are focusing on this one! We will go over a few drills to perfect your positioning. We will also work on team cohesion today. You’ll have to work as a single unit on the pitch on Saturday, so we have a ton of work to do. As you can see, some things will be different this week, and we will use other kinds of help.” He turned to Will.

“A dog?” Weir pointed at the beagle lying peacefully next to its owner. The defender wasn’t into Seb’s methods and he didn’t want to hide it.

“Your vision is perfect.” Seb mocked him.

“Isn’t he going to pee on the pitch?” Mario asked hesitantly.

“I didn’t take you for someone who is troubled about it. Malaga?” Seb laughed, and it took the midfielder a moment to realize what he was talking about. Then, a wide grin spread on his face. “Liverpool can defend amazingly, but they are not perfect. When they lose the ball, they attack it immediately, no matter where they are. The whole outfield takes two or three steps forward and when we can pass through them at that time, we can score as many goals as we want to. But for that, we must be quick. That’s why we will use this little fellow. We won’t leave this pitch until you can pass the ball to the other end of the pitch sooner than he runs there. So let’s get started with a warm-up! Will, if you could dictate the tempo please!” He turned to his friend.

He set his outfit right and lined up with the players for the warm-up run. The players had been cynical about his habit at first, but by this time, they had accepted it. Seb believed that it helped them get along better, Klopp didn’t mind his quirks, and he could ignore the cutting glances from his other colleagues.

He stopped after the run to catch his breath and as he saw the players getting ready for training, he felt a buzzing in his whole body. Just like Klopp had said it, they were all his, he would have to instruct them. Of course, it also meant that he was going to be responsible if they failed, but he didn’t think about that possibility just now. He was looking forward to this week and what he could accomplish. He wasn’t kidding himself. He knew very well that a victory would flatter him and his ego. He could still work diligently and modestly, but he would still get a win and a successful time in charge under his belt.

He glanced at Klopp. The older man was having a discussion with Walker, but when he felt Seb’s gaze on him, he turned to the young coach. It only lasted for a moment, but it was enough for Seb to decipher his look and see all his emotions in his eyes. There was a certain kind of sadness there. Jürgen enjoyed his profession, it also was his passion, and the thought of not being able to pursue it must have been killing him. But at the same time, he seemed to be certain to give power to Seb. He had complete trust in him and it reassured Seb. Klopp cared about Marco and him more than he cared about other players and coaches. They were like sons to him, and now, when Seb looked at him, he gave the impression of a father who understood that his son had grown up and now could make decisions on his own, using the wisdom he had acquired from him.

 

* * *

 

Marco burst into their house but he could barely keep his eyes open. He hadn’t slept a second over the night and he took the first flight back to Manchester. He had called Seb over and over again, but his partner never answered and Marco was getting deeply worried. He tried to think of the best possibilities, that Seb was only working and didn’t hear his phone, or that maybe he had it on mute. He feared that Seb was too mad at him to be able to talk to him, but even that seemed to be better than the dread that kept growing with each passing hour.

His mother had tried to calm him down, but it didn’t help. Marco knew that he had made a mistake by flying to Dortmund, that Seb needed him, but still, he couldn’t excuse the younger one’s behavior. He was worried about him, and he needed to hear his voice, no matter on what terms they had said their last goodbyes. His talk with Seb’s parents only made things worse, because he faced the possibility or rather the reality of a life’s end there and it magnified all his bad feelings. He didn’t really believe that something horrible had happened to Seb, but it could have, and it didn’t ease his mind at all.

His drive to the airport, the waiting, the flying, the drive home, they had never felt this long. He wanted to be by Seb, to hug him, to touch him, to feel him and know that he was safe. He wanted to make up with him, to put their row behind them and never ever remember it again. He wanted to support him this week, when Seb needed it the most. Seb’s mother called him just a few minutes before Marco boarded his plane with the answer Marco had hoped for. With that working out, he could look forward to the weekend and he could cope with Seb’s rigors more easily, but first, they had to make peace again.

For that though, he needed to talk to Seb, and their house stood empty. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, not really. It was still early in the afternoon, barely past lunchtime. Seb was at work, and Marco knew it. Still, he had imagined the ideal scenario, with Seb waiting him at home impatiently, both of them feeling bad and making up quickly. It didn’t come to that.

Marco cruised through the rooms to know that his love was fine. There was unwashed dish in the kitchen sink, used clothes on the bathroom floor, but he had to be satisfied with that. Their bed was the way Marco had left it, untouched and it was clear that no one had slept in it the previous night. Against all of Marco's efforts, Seb had never learned to make a bed properly, and Marco would have noticed him using it.

It troubled him. What if Seb hadn’t spent the night at home at all? What if he needed to clear his head and left for a walk, never to come back? Marco’s stomach clenched into a tight knot and he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs. There was only one way to find out if his worries were grounded or not.

Seb’s work room was a no go for him, but he couldn’t care about it right now. He felt cold and his legs could barely carry him anywhere. He needed to find something, a definite sign that Seb was alright. When he opened the door to the small room, he almost started to cry when he felt the bad air typical of small spaces after someone used them for a long period. For a whole night, by the looks of it.

There were papers strewn everywhere and mugs with coffee dried on them. The TV screen was still on, paused at the middle of a Liverpool match. Marco stepped closer and slumped down in the armchair. He should have felt relieved, but he did not. The signs that there was nothing wrong going on with Seb should have been reassuring, but they weren’t enough. He needed real proof. He still needed to hold Seb and feel his heart beating against his chest. They were both grown-ups, but Marco still feared for Seb as if he was a teenager who had spent the night partying, away from home.

Marco reached for his phone. For the time being, hearing Seb would be enough, he decided. And then he heard the familiar tone. Seb’s phone was ringing somewhere in the hall. Marco followed the sound and when he found the cell, he inspected it. There was something else he needed to know. He unlocked the screen – something he shouldn’t have done, because he should have trusted his boyfriend – and looked at the notifications. There were more than a hundred missed calls from him, and he sighed in relief. If Seb had decided to ignore his calls, it would have killed Marco. Now, everything looked like the younger one only didn’t hear his phone ringing.

With no way to reach out to Seb, Marco decided to wait for him in the living room. He sat down on the couch, pulled his legs up and stared blindly into space. The minutes stretched into hours as his unnerving waiting continued. He didn’t felt hunger, or thirst, or anything else apart from the emptiness in his heart. He wasn’t whole without Seb.

The coach finally came back home early in the evening. He didn’t seem to notice that Marco was at home. The blond heard him step out of his shoes, visit the toilette, wash his hands and hum a melancholic melody. At least, Seb wasn’t feeling completely fine, either. The younger one headed for the kitchen instead of the living room and so Marco stood up and followed him. Seb was preparing himself some dinner when he spotted Marco.

“Oh, I didn’t know that you were already at home.” He shot his eyes down immediately. He couldn’t look Marco in the eyes. He felt guilt and shame for the way he had reacted the day before, but it didn’t make Marco forgive him.

“I’ve been calling you since last night!” He cried out, reprimanding.

“I haven’t checked my phone. I was working, and today I left it at home.” Seb shrugged. He was building a wall around his emotions rapidly, but Marco wasn’t getting any of it.

“I was out of my mind with worry!” He panted, out of breath. “I didn’t know what was going on with you! I thought that someone has hurt you!” Amazingly, it was only at that moment that he really understood what had been going on with him and the exhaustion and worry finally overcame him. He started to shake and tears welled up in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Seb said honestly. He put the knife down and wiped his hands before he walked over to Marco. He wrapped him in the arms and let Marco rest his head against his shoulder. “I’m really sorry, babe.” Seb whispered.

“I thought that after yesterday… you didn’t want to see me anymore.” Marco explained. “I’m so sorry for the way I behaved. I shouldn’t have left here, not now. I should have seen how much you needed me. You are in deep shit at work, all that pressure, and I left you just like that. I’m sorry, it was a huge mistake.”

“It’s okay, you wanted to see your parents.” Seb drew soothing circles on his back. Marco sniffled and gulped. He closed his eyes and steeled himself for another lie. He didn’t want to make it easier for himself and use Seb’s understanding to his own advantage, but he couldn’t tell Seb the truth, either. Not yet.

“But that shouldn’t have been a real reason. What a shitty boyfriend am I if I leave you the first moment when you would really need me? How can I claim that I love you when I turn my back on you, huh? I’m sorry I couldn’t act like a real partner.”

“Marco, is everything alright?” Seb pulled back. He held Marco firmly by his shoulders and looked him deep in the eyes. It was the kind of look piercing through everything: masked happiness, feigned emotions and lies. “You are making me worried. Is everything fine with your folks?”

“Yes, they are fine.” Marco was utterly grateful that he didn’t have to lie at that moment. “I’ve just missed you so much.” He hugged Seb again, believing that their row was over and done with.

He was mistaken. Seb let go of him and took a step back. Marco looked back at him bewildered, but he wanted to groan at the loss of contact with his love. Seb’s expression changed completely. His eyes were cold again and his face was serious. “Why did you leave, Marco? If you know that it was wrong and you knew that I needed you, why leave, then?” He asked accusingly, with a deep sadness in his voice. A sadness that crept into Marco’s heart. He forgot about his own resentments, and started to feel horribly for letting Seb down. He had to give him an explanation without tangling himself in further lies, but he couldn’t leave Seb full of questions. He owed him that much.


	39. Caring

“Can we sit down?” Marco asked hesitantly. Seb measured him with a stern look, but his features softened after a long moment and he nodded. They walked to the living room hand in hand and sat down on the couch next to each other. Marco couldn’t miss the gap Seb left between them. It wasn’t usual. They preferred to sprawl out idly and get as close as they could get. The unmistakable sign that not everything was alright between them shocked Marco.

“Are you cold?” Seb asked with no empathy in his voice. He could be talking to a complete stranger, based on his tone. “You are shivering.”

“No, I’m fine.” Marco shook his head and hugged himself in a lame attempt to stop himself from shaking. He knew very well that it had nothing to do with the temperature in the room, rather the intensity with which Seb’s love for him burnt at the moment. Then he realized how pathetic he was. They had a problem and he wouldn’t solve it with covering it. He looked up at his boyfriend and pleaded “Could you please hold me?”

Seb’s face was serious, but a soft smile formed on his lips, almost unconsciously, as he reached for Marco. “Come here!”

Marco didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned against Seb and his boyfriend’s body warmth was a welcome cure for his coldness. More than that, the younger one ran his fingers over Marco’s flank, urging him to answer his many questions.

Marco sighed and tried to control the pain he was feeling in his chest. He couldn’t tell Seb the truth, it wasn’t the right time. He would surely deny that he cared about his parents’ opinion on him or that he missed them and it would only lead to another argument. But what other choice did Marco have than telling the truth? Lying was already bad enough and he would suffocate himself with further deception.

“You know, I was afraid that you wouldn’t come back to me.” Seb started the conversation for Marco. The blond frowned and pulled back to face his boyfriend with a look of astonishment. He mouthed a question, unable to utter a single syllable. “I feared that I had dragged you into something you weren’t ready for. I thought that I was putting a burden too big on you. I saw how afraid you were of coming into the stadium last weekend. I didn’t tell you about it, but I noticed. I was afraid that something happened there, something you hadn’t told me. The way you reacted to the match against Liverpool– it just had me worried.”

“Oh, no, Seb, I would never leave you!” Marco found his tongue again before Seb would dwell in his dark thoughts for too long. “It had nothing to do with it.”

“So it never even crossed your mind? The insults you heard back then? The sheer hatred flowing from the stands?” Even as Seb depicted it, a cold shiver ran down Marco’s spine.

“It did.” Marco croaked out with a dry throat. “But it’s the past, Seb. It cannot stop us from finding happiness. I’ve told you that I would support you in your career here. Maybe I didn’t understand back then just how hard it would be, what demons would emerge again, but I can reassure you, my opinion haven’t changed the slightest bit. I stand behind you and I will always will.”

“I can’t expect you to be in the stadium at the weekend.” Seb shook his head with a sad smile. “You can’t do it.”

“I will be there, Seb.” Marco made a clear statement about it. “I’ve already talked to Kloppo about it.”

“I can’t have you there, Marco.” It looked like Seb was on the verge of crying. “I must be able to concentrate on my job, I cannot do that if I have to worry about you and what’s going on with you in the stands.”

“You don’t have to be worried.” Marco stroked Seb’s cheek. “It’s not a problem for me. I can do it, I know. I _need_ to do it. I don’t think there is one fan who isn’t ashamed of what happened all those years ago, and even if there is, we must show them that we are better and stronger than them. Isn’t this what you have taught me?”

“You didn’t always look like a diligent student.” Seb laughed but it didn’t resemble joy at all.

“I know you want to protect me, Seb, but you don’t have to. Not from this. You mean well, but I need to be there. For you, for myself. I would feel awful if I wasn’t there to see you triumph.” Marco tried to ease the deadly atmosphere around them.

“What if I don’t?” Seb’s look was lost in the emptiness.

“You will be a winner for me.” Marco said it plainly. “I know you, Seb. You’ve worked the entire night, coming up with a plan, and I know you will work your ass off the whole week, and your players will have to do the same. And I will be okay with it, I promise. Yesterday, I realized that I can’t live without you, not anymore.”

“Marco, what happened in Dortmund?” Seb demanded an answer again.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Not now.” Marco sneaked closer to Seb. His boyfriend accepted his unuttered request with an open arm, pulling him closer than before. “I only want to enjoy this moment, that we are together again, and I want to hear about your day and what happened yesterday.”

“Oh, I know, I didn’t behave well yesterday.” Seb chuckled, with a hint of actual enjoyment of life. “Work was rough. I should have left you out of it.” He paused for a long second before he continued. “Jürgen wants me to prepare the team on my own. He is there during trainings, but I’m in charge.”

“It was usually that way when he was banned.” Marco remembered. “And how is training? Do the players listen to you, or should I call Mario and Erik?” He asked playfully.

“No, it’s fine.” Seb laughed. “But that’s not all… It looks like I will have to do the press conference, too.”

“What?” Marco snapped and sat up straight. He had the vague recollection of Seb telling him about it during their row, but he had been too upset back then to really understand what it meant.  “Did they ban Kloppo from press conferences, too?”  
“No, he could do them.” Seb explained. “But he thinks it would be wise if I went to them, considering the specialty of the circumstances. Before you start to tell him off–” He raised his hand, reading Marco’s thoughts. “He has a point. I don’t enjoy the prospect of answering stupid questions from stupid reporters, but it’s better than reading bullshit about me hiding and being afraid of the match. That’s the last thing I need right now. The players must have full faith in me. We must win this match, two losses at the beginning of the season is bad enough, and I can’t imagine how hard it would be to stand up after three.

“The beautiful story is already getting bigger and bigger. The tabloids are mad about this prospect, my little revenge on Liverpool. They are trying to stir up things and see hatred in a place where there’s none.”

“Really?” Marco inspected Seb with a doubting look. “I know that you have to rehearse this answer, but you don’t have to fool me.”

“It was years ago, Marco!” Seb cried out helplessly. “Okay, maybe there’s some bad feeling. A lot,” he corrected himself under Marco’s doubtful expression. “Okay, honestly, I would like to go on the pitch and beat the crap out of that team for how they treated you, and me, too, in a way. But I know that it wouldn’t get me anywhere. It’s just a football match, nothing more. Sure, I have to win it, and I can’t do it if I’m busy with my emotions. I have to be reasonable.”

“You know, sometimes I worry that all that reason is doing you harm.” Marco said, not completely joking.

“I’m not calling a vendetta on them, Marco.” Seb calmed down. “I have more sophisticated methods than that. We will go there, win the match and I can sit with a silent satisfaction. What can be better than that?”

“I see you have every detail planned.” Marco shook his head in amusement. “When is the press conference?”

“Thursday.” Seb said. “On Friday, we are leaving for the team hotel and will travel to Liverpool from there. So, you’ll have to survive another night without me.”

“That’s okay.” Marco nodded. At least he wouldn’t be alone that evening, not that he could tell Seb anything about it. “Just try to behave on the press conference, okay?”

“What do you mean? I always behave.” Seb laughed.

“You know what I mean.” Marco shot him a look of mixed exhaustion and amusement. “I’m not sure the English public would appreciate your sense of humor. Not in everything.”

“They miss a lot.” Seb joked, his hands suddenly wandering to Marco’s belt.

“I should feel glad that I get to take all of it, then.” Marco joined in the teasing. He nudged his face closer to Seb’s, until their lips brushed against each other in the slightest touch.

“Definitely.” Seb’s breath tickled Marco’s face.

“I just wish there was more of the cool guy and less of the one buried in his job, unable to answer his boyfriend’s call.” Marco smiled without the smallest hint of telling off.

“Hey, you’re not in a restaurant! You either get the full package or none of it.” He was able to laugh about his own behavior now.

“How could I say no to this?” Marco said mysteriously before he pressed their lips together.

It felt so familiar, like home. Their tongues moved in a silent understanding and their fingers moved on their own accord, reaching for the spots that would grant the other one the biggest pleasure. Exactly because of that, they soon broke their kiss with both of them sighing at the same time. When Marco looked at Seb, he saw his pupils blown and he didn’t need another proof apart from his ragged breathing that he wasn’t any better on it.

Before he could lose himself in Seb’s eyes, the younger on grabbed him firmly and flung him over, climbing over him, straddling him on his thighs. Marco tried to sit up to continue their kiss, but Seb pushed him back on the sofa. He dragged his hands over the blond’s trunk as if to make sure that he wouldn’t move, before he reached for the hem of his own T-shirt and pulled it up, revealing his pale body. His muscles moved beautifully and Marco had to bite down on his lower lip to stop himself from moaning out loud.

Seb must have noticed his arousal, because he started to circle his hips, just to make matters worse for Marco. He already had a raging hard-on, and after Seb’s teasing, he felt like his manhood would tear through his jeans. He didn’t care about Seb’s wish, he needed to lose his clothes. He quickly got rid of his T-shirt, but his boyfriend wouldn’t let him take care of his pants. Seb put his hand over Marco’s groin authoritatively, marking his territory. Then, he leaned over the blond and while his fingers started to fumble with his belt and zipper, his lips started an ardent massage on his collarbone.

He started at Marco’s shoulder and worked himself closer to his sternum, leaving a wet trail behind. His tongue darted out of its cave just the moment when his hand finally reached into Marco’s underwear with the promise of relieving his burning need. His calloused fingers were wet with his sweat and they moved about seemingly aimlessly, but there was a purpose in those movements, to bring Marco to his orgasm as fast as it was possible. The blond didn’t mind. He didn’t need a long lovemaking. He needed to feel Seb and that everything was fine between them.

Seb was amazing at multitasking. While he never stopped stroking Marco’s manhood, his lips traveled over the older one’s nipple and he freed his own cock with his other hand. He held himself in a firm grip, as if he didn’t want to take care of his own needs, quite the contrary. Marco’s ragged breathing and the kisses Seb left all over Marco’s chest were the only sound in the room as they shared a moment of deep privacy. Seb slid always lower and lower, doubling Marco’s anticipation with every inch he moved his lips closer to his shaft.

His tongue should have been tired by that time, but when he pulled back to inspect Marco’s throbbing cock for a moment, there was hunger in his eyes. He slowly opened his mouth, making sure that the blond got a good look at the hot and wet cavern that right now promised him the paradise. He stalled just for a second, but when he sensed Marco’s pathetic thrust forward, he showed mercy and made that final inch, closing his soft lips around the head of Marco’s cock.

The blond’s world exploded as a cry turned into yelp turned into whining escaped his throat. He lost all control over his own body. His legs shook, his hands instinctively moved to Seb’s nape, demanding more, and he uttered sounds he didn’t know was capable of producing. Seb understood his lust. He sped up his movements, eager to finish off his job and give Marco what he begged for so much.

Each swirl of his tongue brought Marco closer to his climax. Seb didn’t spare him. He hit all the right spots, his now free hand massaged his balls and he looked up at the blond from behind his eyelashes, a seducing look that could have pushed him over the edge on its own. With all the emotions fighting for his attention, overcrowding his mind, his brain decided to shut down temporarily and he just lay on the couch, unable to do anything from his will. He became a passive endurer of the happenings, not that he needed encouragement to accept the ministration he was getting.

His groin was a single pool of heat. Seb’s movements only became more eager and now, Marco was ready to come any moment. Luckily, his boyfriend didn’t want to torture him. Seb took all of his length into his mouth, the tip of Marco’s cock almost hitting the younger one’s throat and when Seb released a breath of hot air at it, Marco came harder than he would have thought possible after this short time. His seed shot out in fast spurs, and Seb took all of it.

He waited until Marco’s cock went limp and his body relaxed. Then, he lay down next to him, dabbing kisses on the blond’s red cheeks. Marco wanted to turn to him, to repay him the favor, but he was unable to move a single bit of his body. His eyes were closed, but he could imagine the satisfied grin on Seb’s face. The rascal was always happy to get him under his control that way, leading him into a dimension Marco could do nothing about. His fingers returned to Marco’s trunk, his nails softly scratching his pale skin, sometimes stopping to play with his faint fair hair.

“Not to complain,” Seb started in a mischievous voice, “but I have a hard problem here and I– ah!” He bit down the end of his sentence when Marco suddenly found the energy to reach for Seb’s cock and enclosed it in a firm grip.

His boyfriend’s whole body shivered and Marco was amazed just how close Seb really was to his orgasm. He still couldn’t move properly, so he simply started to stroke Seb, his wrist turning into every possible angle to make sure that he didn’t leave a single spot unattended. Seb pressed his lips into a thin line and he started to huff while Marco worked the entire length of his proud manhood. He pushed his thumb against the sensitive slit, smearing the single drop of pre-cum all over the fleshy head. He could almost feel the beautiful pain that ruled in his boyfriend’s body right now. He pulled Seb even closer to make sure that he didn’t collapse. He turned his hip in a way that his cock touched with his and just when it came to the slightest contact, he felt Seb’s warm cum sticking their bodies together.

“Forget it, I didn’t say a thing.” Seb muttered with the last shreds of his energy, pushing his face into the crook of Marco’s neck.

“I love you.” Marco said. “And I’ll never leave you.”


	40. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with the story. Sorry about the long silence, but I had some serious real life issues and I couldn't focus on writing and uploading. But now the whole story is written, so I will update chapters every Wednesday and Saturday from now on (or at least that's the plan, there might be some exceptions to that).

Marco was awaken by someone knocking on their door. At first he thought that it was a sound he had brought with himself from the realm of dreams, but it didn’t cease even when he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to give it a sort of styling and tried to put together what exactly had happened during the night. He remembered their pleasant afternoon, a splendid dinner and their walk over to the bedroom right after. A wide smile spread across his face when his thoughts wandered over to their bedroom activities, but his nostalgic feeling was cut short by another knocking, this time louder.

He looked around in the room, looking for something he could quickly put on. It was still gray outside, the first rays of sunshine barely above the horizon. They never woke up this early on their own and a casual look at the alarm clock told him that it was still almost an hour until they would have to get up for Seb to arrive at work on time.

Marco carefully lifted the blanket covering their naked bodies and untangled his legs from Seb’s as carefully as he could, not to wake his boyfriend. The younger one didn’t open his eyes, but he moved and it was the clear sign that he was awake, too.

“Fuck them, whoever it is.” He mumbled, blindly reaching out for Marco, missing his arm by a lot.

“Maybe it’s important.” Marco said and stood up, trying to swallow his annoyance over another long and loud set of knocking.

He jumped into his briefs and ran down the stairs as quickly as he could. He slid to the front door and looked through the peephole, seeing Mario’s stubbly face and unsure look. Marco exhaled a long breath, composing himself before he opened the door.

“Hi, Mario! What are you doing here?” He asked.

The short brunette jumped back in his surprise and bit down on his lip in his embarrassment. “Um, I’m here to talk to Seb. Is it too early? I didn’t know when you were getting up.”

“Yes, it’s pretty early.” Marco nodded, instinctively wrapping his arms around his chest as the cool morning air poured through the gap between the door and its frame. “Listen, I don’t think this is the right time to talk to Seb. I guess he is sleeping, and–”

“Oh, I don’t want to disturb, I just really should speak with him. Would it be a problem if I waited for him to wake up? You can go back to sleep, too, I will just sit in silence.”

“Mario, this really isn’t the right time.” Marco tried to explain himself without going into details. If only Mario looked up at him, he would surely spot the signs of a night spent with passion and sex. He wasn’t ashamed of what they had been up to, but he still didn’t want to name things.

“Marco, please!” Mario pleaded and suddenly jerked his head up, and at the first look, it seemed like he was reaching an understanding of Marco’s not too pleasant situation.

“Whom do I have to kill?” Seb appeared behind Marco, not wearing much more than his love. He walked over to the blond and embraced him from behind, snuggling really close to him. Close enough for Marco to feel that Seb’s brain wasn’t his only part that had woken up. “Hi, Götze! How can I help you?”

“Oh,” Mario stammered when the penny finally dropped. “I’m sorry– I didn’t realize that you– I think it will be for the best if I leave right now.”

“It might be.” Seb agreed.

“I only wanted to discuss some things with you over some fresh croissants and coffee, but I’ll stop by you before training, then.” Mario turned around.

“Croissants?” Seb gave sign of his interest just when Marco was about to close the door.

“Yes, I bought them on my way here.” Mario nodded, turning around for a split second.

“Why don’t you come in, then? We can’t refuse an invitation for breakfast, Marco, can we?” He asked, and then, whispering into the blond’s ear: “I haven’t done any shopping.”

“No, no, no! I understand that you–” Mario tried to get out of the awkward situation, but Seb’s mind had already been made up.

“But what are you talking about? Come in! We just need a few minutes for a quick shower.” Seb smiled at him. “We aren’t such early birds.”

Marco wanted to slap his boyfriend right then, but he was powerless. He stepped out of Mario’s way, Seb carefully turning with him to cover his hard-on.

“Make yourself comfortable and we will join you soon.” Seb promised and he slipped upstairs, leaving Marco with his friend. The blond sent him an awkward shrug and then followed Seb.

They were back in record time and found Mario standing in the garbage heap that they called their kitchen. Cleaning up hadn’t been their priority the evening before. Marco felt ashamed of it. He was trying to lead a normal household and that’s why he was never up for unexpected visitors. But, he couldn’t kick his best friend out of the house, especially not when it was clear that something was troubling Mario.

“I was planning to set the table, but–” Mario let the thought hang in the air.

“Give it to me.” Marco took the two paper bags with still warm pastry. The paper cups with coffee were steaming on a lone clean island on the table. “You two go into the living room, I’ll get some plates and cups.”

“Do you need help?” Seb asked him. Marco shook his head and waited until the other two walked out of the kitchen.

He didn’t know if he really should join them over breakfast. They would surely talk about job, and he would feel like an outsider. Maybe his presence would even stop Mario from speaking freely. But, he was in his own home, and besides, he was hungry like a wolf, so in the end, he put the croissants on a plate, poured the coffee into fine cups and followed them, balancing all the food and drink in his hands.

“I told you I would help you.” Seb sprung up as soon as he noticed Marco’s struggling and rushed to his help.

“I managed it.” Marco said and sat down together with his boyfriend. “Thank you, Mario for the breakfast.”

“It’s really nothing. I’m sorry I appeared here out of the blue.” Mario took the remaining plate and took a sip from his coffee. “I thought that I left a bad impression on Seb yesterday, but luckily we talked it over.” He announced happily.

“Yes, but I can’t get rid of the feeling that you might be trying to accomplish something with this breakfast.” Seb joked. “A starting place in the team, maybe?”

“No, there’s nothing of the sort going on.” Mario shook his head so wildly that Marco feared he would spill the coffee all over himself. “Well, after my comment yesterday, I feared that I might start from behind, so if you think about it…”

“Mario, I want to be clear about this.” Seb put his plate down and changed to a more serious and professional tone. He learnt a lot since they had been in England, Marco realized. He was now talking like a real manager, understanding his responsibility for the team and the seriousness of his decisions. “Those players will play, who are fit, perform during trainings and can implement the game plan as well as possible. If you can convince me this week, it might be you. If not, then it will be someone else. There’s no need for presents and niceties for that.” He spoke with such frustration that for a moment Marco doubted that he would finish his breakfast, seeing it as a sort of bribe now.

“I’m sorry, maybe I didn’t express myself properly.” Mario said hastily. “I understand all the things you say, and I agree with it completely, but– okay, can I talk to you as a friend for a moment?” He looked at both of them. Seb measured him with a cutting glance, but Marco nodded reassuringly with a soft smile. “It is hard to find your place in a football team with my age. I know that the young players should get a chance, but there are great performances in my legs, too. I feel it. I’ve taken all your recommendations, Seb, and don’t tell me that you haven’t noticed it. And yet, I’m only sitting on the bench.”

“The season has barely started, Mario.” Seb pointed out.

“Oh, please!” Mario snapped and showed Seb exactly what he thought of this excuse. “We both know that there won’t be circulation where it’s not needed. I’m not blaming you or Kloppo, of course, you are doing an amazing job despite the results, but I have to think about my future, too. I’ve given a lot to this club in the last years, and I stayed with Erik only because we wanted a reunion with Kloppo. And now, we both feel somewhat– ignored. We could lead the team especially in this hard time and I don’t think we get the trust we expected.”

A heavy silence fell over the room after he was finished and everyone kept looking at their plates. Marco could totally understand Mario, and with all respect, he was quite sure that Seb had no idea what the brunette was talking about. For one part, Seb had never been a footballer, he didn’t experience the driving force behind someone waking up every morning to train and dream about scoring goals or stopping the opposition for the delight of thousands. He was a football coach through and through, but it was a completely different thing. He was passionate about football, but he cared about numbers, statistics and performances. Marco never thought that someone could be not romantic about football, but Seb actually was.

“Mario, I can’t make any promises to you.” Seb started cruelly, before Marco stopped him.

“If I may interrupt…” He spoke up hesitantly, but no one silenced him. “I know what you mean and how hard it is to describe. I’ve been through the same. It is hard to accept that the world is changing and suddenly you aren’t where you used to be and what sometimes was natural to you is a struggle now. But the best advice I can give you is to accept that change. I was holding onto the past, and when I retired… I lost my footing. I couldn’t find my place. You must find a way to deal with your new role. I’ve learned it myself. It doesn’t mean that you are less important than before. It’s only that you are important in a different way. You are right, you and Erik could be real leaders and help to keep the team spirit up, but you don’t have to play for that. Be those leaders in the locker room! It will help you get more playing time, too. Coaches don’t miss what the other guys think of you and if they want you in the team, you will get there. Not through a favor, but because you have earned it.”

“I don’t think it will be that easy.” Mario’s head still hung low.

“It won’t.” Marco nodded. “But you have a wonderful family, do you want to take your frustration out on them? You will, if you don’t learn to live by the new hierarchy. I’m not telling you to give up on your dreams or ideas. But take it easy, okay? And whenever you need help, I’m here.”

“And I haven’t forgotten about you, either.” Seb added, overcome by Marco’s carefully chosen words.

“Okay.” Mario rubbed his nose, covering a quiet sniffle. “Thanks, guys. It means a lot. I’ve been giving up lately, that’s why I was angry at your methods, Seb. At first, it looked like games, and I don’t think we should be doing that in our situation. But thinking about it, your plan might actually work.”

“Really, what’s his plan?” Marco asked curiously and leaned forward to Mario. “He wouldn’t tell me.”

“Before you would blurt out our secrets, Götze,” Seb warned him, “I would like to remind you that your contract obliges you to keep confidential information to yourself.”

“Um, sorry, Marco.” Mario apologized, raising his hands in defense.

“What? I just don’t want to spoil the match for you!” Seb shrugged, answering Marco’s reprimanding look.

 

 * * *

 

Marco buried his face in his hands in disbelief. He decided to use the extra time he got after being woken up by Mario to come to the academy earlier and devise a plan to deal with the expenses. It was pointless. He got lost among the many bills and his despair grew with every passing second. They weren’t doing fine. He never hoped to make a profit out of charity, but they were sinking too quickly. He had to pay Jerry, Judy, and he also had to find someone instead of Nico in case Keith would turn down the offer. He didn’t want to spare money on their salaries and neither on the equipment the boys used. He also had to think about autumn getting closer and the cost of maintaining the pitch, while building up to founding a team and joining a competition. It was beginning to get too big for him and he couldn’t afford to employ a secretary.

His eyes wandered on and stalled on another paper, written in a completely different manner. Jerry left it on his table and when Marco read it, he almost fainted. He had known that allowing Mr. Cook the slightest victory would have its price but only now did he realize what a price it would be. The businessman envisioned advertisements for the academy, growing turnover and sponsors of different kinds. Marco retched at the thought of it. Sure, it would have solved all of their problems, but it would have completely ruined the idea of the academy. He didn’t create it to make advertisement space from the kids. He grabbed the paper and buried it in the deepest corner of his drawer just before Jerry entered the office.

“Hey! Sorry I’m late, traffic is horrible today!” He ran to his desk to change into his training gear.

“It’s fine.” Marco waved. “Have you read Cook’s letter yesterday?”

“Yes. Did you find it?” Jerry asked and struggled to put on his T-shirt at the same time.

“What did you make out of it?” Marco inquired.

“Luckily, it’s not my place to judge it. You are the boss, I only care about the sporting thing here.” Jerry shrugged.

_Well, thanks for nothing_ , Marco groused in himself. “I know, but we will have to discuss a few things. I would be glad if you could find the time for it.”

“Sure.” Jerry nodded absentmindedly. Marco wasn’t sure he knew what he had agreed to. “I’ll hurry and prepare everything for the children. They should be here any moment.”

“I’ve already done that.” Marco calmed him down just when they heard the chatter of two dozen kids from the corridor.

“Thanks.” Jerry acknowledged it gratefully. “I’ll go and look after them.” He volunteered and left the office.

Marco wasn’t left alone. Just as Jerry sneaked through the opening, another face appeared there.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure, Keith, please, sit down!” Marco felt the urge to stand up and point at the chair opposite him. The teenager walked there casually and slumped down on it and claimed it by sprawling in it like a frog.

“I’ll cut to business. I thought about your offer.” He said impassively. “Next year, they will throw me out of the orphanage. I will be too old to stay there, and I want to find a job as soon as possible, but until then, it would be great if I had some spare money, so I have no other choice then accept the job.”

Marco was actually impressed. It was a cold acceptance, phrased in a way he didn’t think possible, but he should have been glad in the end. He didn’t agree with Keith’s vision of his future, especially not considering his dreams of adopting the brothers, but he couldn’t talk about it out loud.

“So, when can I start?” Keith crossed his arms.

“You can start today already as far as I’m concerned, but I think I should talk to Mrs. Green first. Surely, she must agree to it, too?” Truth be told, Marco was completely clueless about the process of employing an orphan.

“She will thank you for helping her get rid of me for the afternoons.” Keith snorted.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad.” Marco spoke with the usual comradeship of adults, not even sure, why. He didn’t find the orphanage’s director that sympathetic, either.

“That witch hates me!” Keith laughed. “At least, it’s mutual.”

“I see.” Marco fell silent. He knew very well what it meant to be hated by Keith, and thinking about it, he didn’t wish it for Mrs. Green at all.

“You pay good money, right?” Keith continued. “You told me we could agree.”

“Yes, Keith, I’m offering you Judy’s wages, and she hasn’t complained yet. School starts next week, right? You will have to come here in the early mornings then to prepare the trainings, you’ll have to talk to Jerry about that, and then after school, you will come here to put things away. Have you ever repaired football shoes?” He asked. Keith only shook his head. “I’ll teach you, then. You’ll also inflate the balls every second day. Any questions?”

“Do you really like my graffiti?”

The question came out of nowhere and it took Marco aback. He looked at Keith and saw innocent curiosity on his face. The blond smiled as he realized that Keith wasn’t such a coldhearted teenager after all, and that there was a feeling part to his soul, too.

“Of course. It’s magnificent!” Marco cheered. “You must be a rock star among the kids at the orphanage for it.”

“Yeah, lucky me!” Keith sighed without real joy in his voice. “Will you call the shrew or do I have to talk to her? Mrs. Green.” He added, seeing Marco’s clueless expression.

“I’ll call her.” Marco promised. Keith was already on his feet. “And Keith… thank you.”


	41. The Press Conference

The screen flashed to life and the static picture turned into a live stream from United’s conference room. Marco leaned closer and stared at his boyfriend sitting down in the comfortable chair, pouring himself a glass of water and showing the photographers a forced smile full of nervousness. Seb wasn’t sure of himself, Marco saw that, but he would try to convince everyone of the opposite. He could only hope that Seb would succeed.

He still didn’t think that this was a good idea, but the younger one was adamant and up for the challenge. He made such commitments without real consideration only to realize in the last moment that he had bitten off more than he could chew. It wasn’t any different this time, but Marco was also sure that Seb wouldn’t back down. He wouldn’t stand looking weak and he always got out of his self-inflicted troubles.

“A very pleasant good afternoon to everyone, ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats and we may start our press conference ahead of United’s away game at Anfield Road.” The team’s spokeswoman announced in a chatty voice. Marco could only hear her. He was focused on Seb’s body language, something he knew would come under scrutiny once this press conference was over. The raven-haired man’s eyes scanned the room, his lips never stopped moving as he did grimace after grimace. He didn’t look very coach-like, but it wasn’t his goal, probably. “Considering Mr. Klopp’s ban from the FA, today assistant manager Mr. Sebastian Kruse is joining us, you can address him and state your questions. Before we start, I would like to ask Mr. Kruse to give us a general overview of the squad and injuries.”

Seb took a deep breath and found a more comfortable position. He wrapped his arms around himself in a defensive position as he leaned closer to the microphone. He cleared his throat and started to speak. His English was almost perfect and he tried to imitate the local dialect ever since they had arrived, and it lent him the needed confidence to make a good first impression.

“Yes, we are in a good position, I think. The guys are in good condition after the pre-season, we could avoid injuries in the first two games, the team doctors made a brilliant job at treating smaller muscle problems. As things stand right now, we can count on every player, except of course Chris because of his suspension, and we will miss Jürgen on the sidelines, but we will cope with it.” He made a promise and leaned back, a visible relief on his face. He quickly reached for his glass and took three huge gulps.

“How do you feel ahead of the challenge you have to face? You will lead the team on Saturday, is it something that makes you excited or are you afraid of the job?” The spokeswoman continued the series of questions Marco knew very well. They were meant to make Seb more comfortable and help him get started and also give the reporters a first feel for the situation within the club.

“I am excited, of course. It comes with great responsibility and I understand it, but it doesn’t make me afraid.” Seb answered, this time more smugly. “We discuss everything with the manager, we’ve looked good in training and I think we have a great chance to turn our fortune around. I am grateful for this opportunity. Naturally, it would be easier if Jürgen was available, but it looks like I am all you get right now.” He tried a joke with a constrained smile. He only relaxed when a mild wave of laughter swept through the room.

“Thank you, Mr. Kruse, I think it is time to open it up for the journalists.” The spokeswoman said in an amused voice.

“And if you could please introduce yourselves, that would be perfect.” Seb interjected.

He didn’t have to wait long for the first question. The image remained fixed on him, so Marco only heard the reporter standing up. A few seconds later, his voice came through the speakers of Marco’s laptop.

“David Barrett from The Sun.”

Marco almost fainted. He could recall his own big press conference, and back then, he had some time before the yellow press made an appearance. Seb didn’t get that lucky. Marco forgot to breathe and his heart stopped beating for the moment as he waited what ridiculous story the reporter was trying to make out of this match.

Seb on the other hand looked to enjoy the situation. A mischievous smile formed on his lips and when he leaned forward again before the journalist could utter his question, Marco knew that he was going to break his promise and give the English a dose of his humor.

 

* * *

 

“Just to be clear here: The Sun the newspaper, not the Sun the star, right?” Seb asked and this time, his comment was met with a bigger laughter.

He saw the self-confidence when this reporter had stood up and he wanted to ruin his mood. Jürgen had warned him about it: he was in the main role, he couldn’t let the journalists get the upper hand. He had to lead the press conference, even if he had the spokesperson next to him. He would look weak and in the Premier League, it equaled losing a game. All managers were experts on finding weaknesses and using it to their own advantage. Well, Seb was up for the challenge.

“The newspaper, Mr. Kruse.” The journalist feigned a smile. “Back to the point here, I would like to ask you a question. Given your history with Liverpool, I wonder, what do you feel ahead of this match?”

“Sorry for my little comment, I just didn’t want your colleagues to miss a big sensation here.” Seb played with the reporter’s nerves just a bit longer. He knew exactly what he could allow himself. The Sun wasn’t a serious newspaper in football. He didn’t get a professional question, and he wasn’t going to give such an answer. “But to answer your question, I don’t know what history you are referring to. I’ve been to Liverpool twice in my life, once for a rock concert, the second time as an analyst for BVB, I left both times happy with the result, so based on that, I am optimistic, but I don’t think either of those occasions is really relevant to our current situation.”

He didn’t want to go into details. His private life was a taboo and the reporters got better used to it. He wasn’t going to discuss how he felt about Liverpool’s most zealous supporters or what they would shout at him. He wasn’t going to care about them anyways. He was going there to win a football game, nothing more. He would use the extra motivation in his interest, but he wouldn’t get too carried away by the way Marco had been treated there. Not now.

“Michael Page, World Soccer.” The next journalist stood up before Barrett sat down. “You mentioned you are in constant contact with Mr. Klopp. Are you confident that you can manage a team that he had been leading? Can you make the sort of changes mid-game that he could do to deal with developments during the ninety minutes?”

“We’ve been discussing our game plans ever since we came to Manchester. I’ve helped him to set up tactics right from the start, there isn’t a decision made without serious consideration and mutual consent. Naturally, he is the head coach so I have to accept his decisions, but our meetings are productive, and I have his complete support. He overlooks the trainings, I listen to his advice, but this week, I was the one communicating the most with the players, so I think I will be ready on Saturday. When it comes to mid-game changes, well, there is a reason why he is the head coach and I’m his assistant, I wouldn’t state that I have the same experience or knowledge as he does, but I still think that I will do just fine.”

“Thank you.” Page sat down, and immediately, the next question came.

“Derek Scott, Liverpool Echo.” Came the introduction. “Mr. Kruse, this will be the first big derby in the season. Does the specialty of the occasion adds extra weight on you and the players? Are there any special considerations you take in the preparations?”

“Derbies are of course always big games. Unfortunately, I have had the chance to experience United’s and Liverpool’s games only on television, but I know the background of the rivalry and I think it is a good thing and there’s need for such passionate meetings during a season. I could imagine better circumstances in which to travel to Liverpool, but we will have to deal with our current situation, and use the extra motivation to our advantage. Liverpool are a great time with skilled players, a tough opponent. I understand what the fans expect of us, and we will do our very best to come back with a victory, but we also must acknowledge our current chances. We will have to be at our best, and it’s something we can do. We take it as an ordinary football game, we will hit the pitch in top form, show a real effort and see what comes out of it.”

“Richard Tennant, Goal. You’ve mentioned Liverpool’s strength. Will you adjust your game plan, especially seeing its ineffectiveness in the first two matches, or will you stick to it and hope that the players will manage a win?”

“Well, first of all, I won’t go into tactical details, naturally. We’ve chosen the game plan that gives us the best chance of success, but that doesn’t mean we will be rigid about it. When things don’t go our way, we have to adapt. That’s why we have a squad of players, so we can choose the ones that can give us the best results. It won’t be different this week.” Seb explained. He was angry how easily it came for the reporter to criticize their form. “If you look past our results, you can see that we haven’t been playing terribly, so I don’t think we have to throw all our work out the window. The groundwork remains and we will use it, but we must consider Liverpool’s capabilities and find a way to counter the danger they pose.”

“Barrett again.” The obnoxious man sprung up. “Do you think that the fans will play an important role in this game and if so, how will you minimize their effect on the game?”

“I would rather talk about what is in my power, Mr. Barrett.” Seb shot him an exhausted look.

He wasn’t going to take any of this. He came here as a professional, he wasn’t aiming for a front-page story. He would get that anyways, he was sure about it. So far, the tabloids had been silent about this perfect setup for his revenge for Marco, but it was only a matter of time until they would wake up, Seb knew it. He wasn’t going to feed the fire, though.

“Anfield is legendary for its special atmosphere,” Barrett insisted. “Is it a concern for you that it might influence your players’ or your performance?” He chose a more direct approach, leaving Seb with less possibility to avoid a straightforward answer. He quickly scanned the room and saw that most journalists were interested in an answer, too. He couldn’t keep dodging it forever and he would only make his own situation worse if he pushed Barrett more.

“Look, Liverpool’s fans have as much power in a football match than any other team’s supporters. They can spur on their own team and maybe it helps, it can give them an advantage of a sort to have the majority of the stadium behind them. It can also backfire and create a too big pressure. I don’t know which one of the two will be true on Saturday. I can promise that our team won’t be influenced by it, and neither will I. That’s all I want to say to your question.” He finished with a cutting glance, giving the clear message of understanding where Barrett was heading and that he won’t walk down that road.

“One more question for Mr. Kruse, please.” The spokeswoman understood Seb’s discomfort and acted accordingly. Seb welcomed it with gratitude. He was having enough of pointless questions. The press conference was fun for a few minutes, now it was getting tedious and he would rather be back at training and do actual and productive work for the match.

A young journalist in the last row stood up. A microphone traveled over to him and he quickly set his tie right before he would ask his question.

“My name is Jack Manson, representing a group of football blogs. Mr. Kruse, naturally, you were closely watched during the pre-season along with manager Jürgen Klopp. You gained a considerable support over the social media which is I think unprecedented among assistant managers. My first question is, do you think that assistant managers are overlooked in football and are you looking forward to using the element of surprise on the weekend? Other coaches surely know what to expect from Mr. Klopp during a match when things need to be changed, but the same might not be true about you.” It was probably his first press conference, just like Seb’s.

“Phew!“ Seb laughed wryly.

He didn’t expect such a question at all, and he had the frightening feeling in his guts that he had to make a real statement here, something that would be on the front pages of many newspapers and web sites. His suspicion was confirmed by all the reporters looking at first at their colleague then at Seb, eager to record everything he would say. It seemed that he wouldn’t get to avoid a big story after all.

“You sure know what to ask.” He laughed. An answer was ready in his head, but he had to go over it to make sure that he wouldn’t speak out of disrespect. He was an impulsive guy and while he rarely meant to hurt someone’s feelings, he often did.

“Okay,” he gained confidence. “So first of all, I can only answer for myself. I don’t know the position of other assistant managers and coaches at different football clubs. I have experience from Dortmund and now at United. In both cases, I felt that my contribution was welcome and adequately appreciated. There is a reason why I accepted Jürgen’s offer, but there is also a reason why I was satisfied with such a position. I get to do what I like to do day after day, and that’s all I can ask for. I don’t want to stand in the front line, and for that, being an assistant manager is the perfect choice, unless of course your manager doesn’t get a ban.” Another wave of laughter ran over the room. “I don’t think that I or other assistants are overlooked. We’re not in the world of football for the attention or the spotlight. We want to work with footballers, set up tactics and we can do that in a comfortable position, without feeling all the pressure of a manager. It needs a certain type of man, I guess, but I enjoy doing it.

“And to answer your other question… Maybe they don’t know what to expect from me in Liverpool, but the game isn’t about the two coaches or whoever conducts the team from the sideline. We have eleven players on the pitch each, and we have limited possibilities to change things. I can’t expect the goalkeeper to charge forward and score an equalizer. I don’t have more skills than Jürgen and I don’t have a quick-fix for any problem. Maybe I will react differently to a mid-game situation than him, but Liverpool still have a chance to react to it. Maybe there will be another man leading United on Saturday, but I will still have the same tools then Jürgen would. It’s the same game. Football is the same, only the people change.”

“Thank you, Mr. Kruse.” The young guy sat down with a nod.

Seb kept staring at him. There was something about him, or rather around him that caught his attention. He surely was a greenhorn, Seb would have been surprised if he hadn’t just entered his twenties. But, he could still spot the passion typical of everyone crazy about football. It could be coach, player, journalist or just a random guy sitting at home. That’s what he always found fascinating about football: it united people, it offered a universal language all over the world, if only there wasn’t a lot of politics around it.

While he kept musing in himself, the young lady by his side ended the press conference and when the photographers were done flashing their cameras in front of him, Seb stood up and walked to the door. He barely stepped down from the platform when he heard his phone buzzing in his pocket.

He smiled under his breath when he remembered the way he wanted to get in contact with Marco right after his press conference after his coming out or after his return to the national team. It seemed that love was the same, too. He quickly thanked the spokeswoman for her help and then he slid into a corner of the backstage, fishing his phone out of his pocket. The device was still buzzing with an incoming call.

“Hi, babe! So, are you satisfied with your incredible boyfriend?” He picked up with a smug smile.

“You were amazing, Seb!” Marco shouted into his phone. “I don’t know what to say! I wouldn’t have thought that you would tackle it this smoothly! And your monologue at the end! I almost shed a tear!”

“Almost?” Seb feigned resentment.

“But seriously, Seb, I’m so proud of you! You did perfectly! You will do this great during the match, as well, you’ll see!” Then, his voice changed and it became the voice of a worried boyfriend instead of a supporting one. “Was it very hard?”

“Not as bad as I expected.” Seb said. “It wasn’t that much different from a concert. Me on the stage, dozens of people paying attention to what I do...” He shrugged.

“You’re crazy!” Marco laughed.


	42. Another Hit

After Seb’s press conference, Marco was in no mood to return to work, but he closed his laptop and steeled himself for the meeting that was awaiting him. He knew that the longer he kept putting this talk off, the more uncomfortable it would get for him. Cook wanted an answer to his offer and Marco had already used up all his tricks to delay the decision. He already knew what his heart was telling him: that accepting help from the businessman had been a mistake in the first place. But, he also had to listen to his brain that did everything to keep this academy running. He needed money and as far as he knew, Cook had plenty. Letting his son play here in return wasn’t such a big price, especially because the younger Cook was a very fast learner and it became apparent early on that despite the looks, he had an eye for football. He lacked the right skills, but his understanding was already amazing for his age.

The most horrible thing about this meeting was that Marco had to face it alone. Jerry was in the back, having training. They tried to cram in as many sessions as possible until the start of school, because the boys didn’t like the prospect of having to exchange this fun activity for sitting in a boring classroom for hours and then struggle with homework. In a way, Marco was glad about their reaction. It was a testimony for their work’s quality. They loved working with Jerry and listened to him, while Marco was the big idol, although lately he hadn’t been able to spend as much time on the pitch as he would have liked to. That’s why he was also grateful that they would have less training sessions from the next week. He would get a chance to deal with administration and running the academy in the morning and focus on the kids in the afternoon.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Reus!” Mr. Cook walked into the office.

He didn’t wait for Marco’s invitation or any sort of reaction. He didn’t even knock. He felt like he was at home and his leisurely stroll reflected the same. He must have considered the academy his in a way, and Marco his puppet to boss around. Well, he wasn’t getting anything of the sort, Marco had promised himself that a few days ago. He needed Cook’s help but if they didn’t reach a consensus here, he would show him the exit very willingly.

The businessman sat down opposite him and immediately got a cigarette out of his pocket.

“You can’t smoke in here.” Marco warned him. Cook furrowed his eyebrows but put away the pack. He looked at the blond with resentment but then found his comfortable business-face in a split second.

“I’m listening to you, Mr. Reus! Have you considered my _suggestions_?” He emphasized the last word in a strange way, as if those suggestions were strong guidelines Marco would have to live by from now on.

“Yes, I did, Mr. Cook, and I’m afraid there has been some sort of misunderstanding between us.” Marco started, but the other one’s reaction unnerved him. Cook didn’t look pleased with his answer. “This is charity, Mr. Cook. You can’t run it as a business.”

“Oh, you are very much mistaken!” Cook laughed. “You don’t have any experience with charities, do you, Marco? You don’t mind that I call you Marco, do you? That’s great.” He led a conversation with himself. “All charities are about money. They don’t want high profit, but they all need money. Lots of it, if they want to survive and grow. I presume that is your aim, isn’t it?” Marco nodded. “Well, then you will have to find a way to raise money on a constant basis. Your fundraiser was a good idea, and look, you have already earned a well-wisher.” He pointed at himself with a wide grin on his fat face.

“I am aware of all this, Mr. Cook,” Marco started, “but there has to be a limit to what kind of allowances we make.” He got out Cook’s list of _suggestions_. “A photoshoot isn’t among them, I’m afraid.”

“And how do you plan to get sponsors otherwise?” Cook hit back.

“Well, I could visit a few local firms and present them the kind of job we are doing here…” Marco said, unsure about himself.

“You are kidding, right?” Cook burst out in laughter. It turned into a constrained roaring before it finally died and he looked at Marco, struggling to catch his breath. “What do you think? That the firms will give you money out of benevolence? They won’t. What good do they get from supporting a no-name football academy for poor kids? They will want to advertise it. Photos of small kids chasing the ball in a brand new training gear from this firm or that one sells perfectly.”

Marco looked at him horrified. He couldn’t believe his words. For Cook, these kids, these troubled souls were just tools to make more money. Marco felt an incredible pain in his chest by witnessing this amount of insensitivity.

“Believe me, Marco, I know how these businessmen work. I am one of them, after all. Do you think I support your academy out of sheer generosity? I have big plans, and I would be glad if you would support them, too.” He announced and Marco felt the sudden urge to hit him right there. “Don’t worry, I don’t mean to interfere with your ideas, of course. You are in charge, I’m only making sure that you will have an academy to run.” He corrected his attitude, seeing Marco’s hostility. “But you have to understand: you won’t survive only with noble ideas. You must be more practical than that.” He tried to convince him, but when he got no answer, he changed his style once again. “Okay, no photoshoots.” He gave in with a sigh. “What else do you have revulsion against?”

_Everything_ , Marco would have liked to say, especially after this statement from Cook. Instead, he took a stolen glance at the paper in his hand, as if he was just acquainting himself with the contents and said: “Billboards.”

“Come on, Marco!” Cook shot him a displeased look. “That’s one of the least intruding solution! This road isn’t very busy, but I think we could still get a good sum of money if we rent the fence out. I would suggest to place billboards on other walls, but I see you have already found better use for them with that disgusting scrabbling. Seriously, what were you thinking?” He snapped.

“The boys like it and Keith put a lot of work into it.” Marco hissed. He was losing his patience and he was sure that he would yell at the businessman after a few similar comments.

“I see.” Cook shrugged. “We aren’t getting anywhere, Marco. My time is limited. I’m doing you a favor and you decline one offer after another. Are you open to any of my suggestions?”

“Look, Mr. Cook!” Marco tried to explain himself one more time with keeping his cool. “I don’t think we should be aiming to create an academy that creates buttloads of money. I appreciate your help, and I’ll be honest, we need more money to run the place, but not at any cost. Let’s try to find a solution that is maintainable, but doesn’t interfere with the current setup. So Jerry and I thought that maybe if we founded a football team and entered it in a competition of a sort, we could find sponsors more easily and could also get some money from entrance fees.”

“That’s pathetic.” Cook scorned. “Do you have any idea how much would it cost to register a team? Or what it would take? You don’t have any money and you want to spend more? How is that a solution, Marco? You are so naïve…” He shook his head in a mixture of amusement and disbelief.

“You also mentioned that you had some friends who would be willing to help.” Marco pointed out in a last attempt to reach an agreement. He decided to swallow that latest comment, but there wouldn’t be another one he would overlook.

“I suppose I could ask a few friends of mine.” Cook mused out loud. “You can’t imagine how hard it is to find a suitable place for your kids to play football. Most academies have horrible equipment, and there’s your strength. Those parents who don’t want to spare money on their kids’ free-time activities would surely appreciate it. Of course…” he started the part that Marco wasn’t going to like. “Maybe they would have resentments about the party their kids would get into here. But, if you are willing to have trainings for a separate group of boys, I’m sure we could find a lot of donors.”

“I’m not making a playground for the rich of this academy!” Marco shouted. He sprung up and put his fists on the desk, just to make sure that he wouldn’t fling his arm and give Cook a nice present under his eye.

“Too bad. You know, poor kids don’t pay you anything to play here.” Cook shrugged. He stood up, but didn’t look shaken by the happenings.

“Get out of here!” Marco hissed.

The businessman agreed with a nod and started off in the same slow pace. Marco wanted to kill him and he did everything in his power to make it happen, sending a deadly look to the middle of the older man’s back. To his utmost regret, Cook didn’t collapse all of a sudden, and still turned around for a final word.

“I just want to make sure you understand your position, Marco.” He said with a smirk. “I know how to make such a charity prospering, but I also know how to ruin it.” He took a pause. “I will give you a few days to reconsider your opinion, but if I don’t get a call and you don’t apologize to me, we will cease our cooperation.”

Once again, he didn’t wait for Marco’s answer, but the blond was grateful for it. The venom he felt in Cook’s voice made his blood stop and he collapsed into his chair, unable to form a coherent thought. He started to rub his temples to ease the horrible headache this talk had given him. Now he was sure that he shouldn’t have given in to Cook, and he wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for Jerry. He didn’t blame the coach. At that time, it was their only option to somewhat relieve their awful financial situation, but it turned out it came with a much bigger price than they expected. And refusing that helping hand might have had an even bigger price still.

 

* * *

 

He got away from the academy as soon as he could. He drove straight home and burst into the house. He wanted to find a safe place in Seb’s arms and he thought that his boyfriend would have the answer to his problems and would reassure him that Cook’s threats were only his way to avenge Marco wasting his time. As things stood, Marco wasn’t sure whether he would believe it. It would have been so great to do so, but he had the dreadful idea that Cook never joked. Originally, he also wanted to celebrate Seb’s success at his press conference with a nice dinner, but it was clear now that it wouldn’t come to that.

“Hi!” He found Seb lying on the couch, immersed in a TV-show. Marco opened his mouth to pour his heart out, but he recoiled when he realized that the same face was looking back at him from the couch and from the TV-screen. “You are watching a TV program on you?” He asked, not believing the absurdity of it.

“You wouldn’t believe what these English are capable of! They completely overestimate a coach’s role in a team. They’ve been analyzing my press conference for ten minutes now and try to guess what to expect from me on Saturday. They are shooting in the dark of course, but I would lie if I said the sudden attention doesn’t flatter me.”

“Just a question: do _you_ know what to expect of yourself on Saturday?” Marco smiled as he walked over to his love and put a kiss on his forehead.

“Not really.” Seb shrugged. “I have a game plan but I don’t have a clue what I will do when it goes wrong and I have to change things during the game. What’s wrong?” He asked when Marco slumped down next to him. The blond only answered with a heartfelt sigh. “Let me guess: Cook?”

“Yes.” Marco nodded. “He’s the most horrible human being I have ever met.”

“It can’t be that bad!” Seb sat up and put his hand on Marco’s thigh. “Just imagine, he could be a Bayern or even a Schalke fan! Sorry, it was a stupid joke.” He apologized when he saw that the blond wasn’t in the mood for this. “What happened?”

“Well, apparently his best idea to make the academy a sustainable charity is to make it a huge advertising space and also rent it out for rich families so their kids can play there. He thinks that the good quality of equipment would make it the perfect place for them.” Marco complained.

“Hm.” Seb reacted.

“That’s it? Hm?” Marco snapped. “I was expecting more from you!”

“Oh, sorry! What an awful human being he is! I can’t understand such people can even exist! What does he think, who he is? I wish they would have these psychopaths all locked up in a jail far away! Better?” He added with horrible acting.

“You don’t get it, do you?” Marco shook his head. He pulled away and stood up, walking over to the window. He couldn’t believe Seb. Yes, the younger one had his problems, but he could have shown at least a bit sympathy and not act like Marco’s problem was nothing compared to his.

“I get it.” Seb said calmly. “But grudging won’t get you anywhere. I bet Cook is having the same thoughts about you. He thinks you are close-minded for not understanding his magnificent business ideas. Do you want to be like him?”

“Don’t you dare compare me to him!” Marco spun around, his eyes flashing with rage.

“I’m not.” Seb said. “I get why you are angry, but these assholes are not worth your attention. Just get over it, okay? You will figure out something, I’m sure about it. And if you really need money, I could support the academy. I earn much more than I can spend anyways.”

“No, Seb, that’s not necessary!” Marco was quick to change his tone. His boyfriend cared after all. “I appreciate it, but I need to find a long-term solution. There’s no quick fix for my problems. I’m just afraid. Before Cook left, he said something that doesn’t leave me be. He said that he knows how to ruin a charity like mine. Do you think he meant it seriously? Will he try to do something?”

“Well, that changes things.” Seb sighed. Marco saw that he couldn’t believe his words and was getting angry at Cook himself. “I don’t think he can really do anything about it. I mean, attacking a charity doesn’t look good and he seems like a guy caring about his public image.”

“It’s not really reassuring.” Marco said.

“It wasn’t meant to be.” Seb shrugged. “You shouldn’t snub it. And you should get rid of Cook.”

“I already did.” Marco said. “I’m not sure it was a good idea.” He admitted.

“Hey!” Seb stood up and rushed over to Marco. He embraced him and Marco found the refuge he was looking for. “Don’t worry, he can’t hurt you. You know I wouldn’t let anyone do that.” He promised and Marco found himself smiling.

“Thank you.” Marco whispered and snuggled even closer to Seb.

“Marco, we’ve been through bigger shit. What can a bitter businessman do against us, right?” Seb tried to cheer him up.

“Yes, right.” Marco mumbled without real meaning behind his words.

“And as for the long-term solution…” Seb started. Marco took a step back immediately and looked at his boyfriend with huge expectations. “Maybe Cook wasn’t wrong. Maybe you could use the advantage of the equipment and the pitch.”

“What do you mean?” Marco frowned. “I’m not going to let rich–”

“I don’t mean that!” Seb rolled his eyes. “But the pitch will be unused in the mornings and in the evening, right? Why don’t you visit a few schools? They might not pay as generously as Cook’s friends, but it’s better than nothing. And you can open the pitch for the public in the evenings. Maybe some guys would like to play a bit after work and your pitch really is amazingly good.”

“You’re a genius!” Marco shouted straight into Seb’s ear which made the raven-haired wince.

“And mildly hearing impaired after this.” Seb pulled back, rubbing his ear.

“You poor man!” Marco tended to him. “You know, I was so proud of you after that press conference! And thanks for not giving in to that vulture from The Sun. I don’t think I want a second shitstorm of papers discussing our private life.”

“I think they will, whether we like it or not.” Seb shrugged. “But let’s not care about them, alright? I want to focus on the game and you.”

“You really don’t feel any anger or so about Liverpool?” Marco wanted to make sure. “I don’t want you to see it as a revenge for what they did to us back then. Just win the match, it really shouldn’t be about anything else.”

“I know.” Seb nodded. “I won’t get carried away. And once we win, we’ll come home, and it will be just the two of us.”

“Yes, it will.” Marco agreed to cover up his nervousness. He had other plans for Seb, and he could only hope that it would have a pleasant outcome.


	43. The Day Before

Friday morning, Marco found Seb sitting at the kitchen table, sipping orange juice and staring at his cell phone. The blond stumbled into the room, kissed his boyfriend’s forehead and poured himself a glass of juice, too before he sat down opposite to Seb. The younger one seemed to be immersed in whatever he was doing, but based on his expression, it had to be something very amusing. A playful smile tugged at the corner of his lips and he shook his head in disbelief now and then.

“What’s so interesting?” Marco couldn’t take it anymore. He was a curious type, he needed to know what was going on around him. Seb was the exact opposite. He never inquired this way, hoping that the really important things wouldn’t miss him anyhow.

“I’m reading The Sun. You know, their campaign to make this match a personal matter for me is in top gear.” He explained and laughed out loud after reading another sentence. Marco didn’t share his enthusiasm. He immediately felt bile in his throat and a paralyzing shiver ran all over his body. “Oh, no this is quite ridiculous!” Seb continued. “Did you know for example, that – I quote – ‘this is my chance to get even with Liverpool for the chants eight years ago’. I can’t believe them.”

“I don’t find it so amusing. You weren’t this happy the last time when a journalist poked his nose into our private life.” Marco raised his eyebrow.

“Yes, but at least Bild knew what they were doing. This,” he pointed at his phone, “is amateurish.”

“I would be happier if you put it away anyhow.” Marco asked him mildly. Seb listened to him and looked at him with love.

“Sorry.” He said.

“It’s okay.” Marco sighed. “It just feels like we are back where we were ten years ago. We are sitting at home while outside the papers create a storm that can make our lives miserable.”

“Well, it won’t.” Seb shrugged. “This is just a football match, Marco. If we lose, the Liverpool fans teasing us will be the least of my concerns, and if we win, the papers get a perfect story, we get a win, and I get a nice little praise from Jürgen.”

“Please, don’t be disrespectful to Liverpool, okay?” Marco blurted out his biggest concern.

“What do you mean?” Seb asked bewildered.

“It’s just… you can get carried away by a football game.” Marco elaborated. “I don’t mean anything bad, but you know, especially when your team is winning, you might get a bit, um, arrogant.” He avoided looking at Seb, not sure how he would take the criticism.

“I’m really not in the position to get carried away during this game.” Seb leaned back. “We are in deep shit, Marco. I mean, the team. We haven’t told the players and we are really doing worse than we should if we look at our performance, but another loss might easily turn out to be too much. The English care about statistics and history a lot. They would start to think how much can a team that has lost its first three games accomplish and it could become a real problem for the players. If they don’t believe in themselves, in Jürgen or the game plan, we might as well start packing. So it’s all up to this match, I’m afraid. Thanks, Jürgen.” He raised his glass sourly.

“Seb!” Marco sighed and walked over to his boyfriend. “You are too harsh on yourself. I fear you might overstrain yourself. You don’t have to save the world. Get a win, and that should be enough.”

“Will you really come to the game?” Seb rested his head against Marco’s abdomen. The blond put his hands around the younger one’s head and stroked his cheek tenderly.

“Of course. I promised you, haven’t I? And I want to see you win.” He laughed.

“What if I don’t?” Seb asked without really awaiting an answer. They hadn’t talked about it, but Marco knew how seriously he was taking this. For Seb, this was a win-or-die situation. He had never been able to think outside extremes, and it could avenge itself.

“Then you will still be Sebastian Kruse, Manchester United’s assistant manager and my boyfriend. The players won’t hate you, the fans won’t blame you and the papers can say whatever they want. We don’t care about it, right?” He smiled and crouched down, so he looked Seb in the eyes. “I am proud of you, you should be proud of yourself, too, and nothing should change that. Win or loss, it shouldn’t change how you value yourself. I thought that you have already learned that lesson.”

“Well, yeah…” Seb drawled. “But it’s a bit different when all the responsibility rests on your shoulders. Like when you became the captain in Dortmund. You cared about the first few games much more than you cared about the ones before.”

“True.” Marco nodded. “But actually, I wish I hadn’t. I was putting too much pressure on myself, and when I realized it, it was too late. I know that it is hard to accept it. You already know all this, but it’s not easy to listen to your mind.” He smiled. “But this time, you should. This is just football. A game, after all. You always told me that I should have fun in the first place. Well, it’s time you had fun, too.”

“Thanks.” Seb snickered. “It really helped.”

“I’ve told you I would look after you.” Marco returned Seb’s smile. “Are you driving to the team hotel right after training?”

“Yes.” Seb nodded. He looked at Marco apologetically, sensing the heavy feeling between them. They should have been together before this important moment of both of their lives. “We talked with Jürgen about letting the guys stay at home before a derby, before the season we planned it that way, but we haven’t really started the way it was planned. We can’t take any risks. We need discipline and players in top form.”

“Yes, I understand.” Marco reassured Seb, trying hard to hide his happiness. He would have preferred spending the evening with Seb of course, but the younger one’s parents were arriving in the afternoon and Marco also wanted to have a quiet house and not upset Seb before his important game. “Can I wait for you after the game, or are you returning with the team?”

“I don’t know yet.” Seb rubbed his eye. “It depends on the result I guess.”

“I see.” Marco nodded and made a mental note to ask Kloppo to let Seb leave with him and his parents after the match.

“I should go and pack a few things.” Seb stood up, shaking his head, as if he was mad at himself for looking so weak and vulnerable just a day before match day.

Marco watched him walk away, his eyes never leaving Seb’s back, and once again, he thought about how much Seb had had to take already. His life wasn’t an easy ride, and he had to get where he was now without his family’s help. He managed it, but no matter how hard he tried to cover it, Marco saw past the mask: Seb longed to have the support of his parents, and Marco finally could dispel all his doubts – his trip to Dortmund was worth it, even though they had had a bad row because of it. Sometimes you had to go against your love’s will.

 

* * *

 

“Okay, guys, it’s time to calm down.” Seb tried to bring some order to the room.

The small conference room of the team hotel was buzzing with the players’ excitement and Seb realized how hard it would be to get them into their rooms on time. Many wouldn’t believe it, but managing a team sometimes was exactly like going on a school trip with twenty cheeky teenagers, but these children dared to hit back and you didn’t really have an upper hand in dealing with them. They were all grown-up men, and they thought they knew what the best was for them. They were also professionals, but ‘just a few more minutes of talk’ sometimes was much more tempting than a bit longer sleep.

“I’ll be quick, I promise.” Seb clapped his hands and finally everyone looked at him. He knew how important this talk was. Jürgen was standing in the shadows of the corner, on close watch, ready to intervene if needed, but Seb was adamant on doing this talk on his own. This was the time when he could do the most for winning the match. The players would soon lie in their beds, waiting for sleep to come, and they would muse over whatever Seb told them now. “Okay, so first of all, I want to thank you all for the work you have shown throughout the week. I wasn’t sure how you would deal with me bossing you around, but I am grateful that we found a common language and could stick to work. You are all well-prepared and ready to hit the pitch. Tomorrow, we will go to Liverpool, play our best game and get a win we deserve!” He wasn’t as good at it as Klopp, but he got a few agreeing nods and a few cheers from the back rows.

“I don’t want you to play harder than Liverpool. I want you to play smarter. You don’t have to run up and down the pitch as if you didn’t have a plan. You all know what your job in the team is, just do that job, be in the right positions at the right time, and then no one can stop us. Liverpool started the season better than us, but that doesn’t mean they are the better team. Tomorrow, it will all come down to ninety minutes. You were excellent during training, you can be excellent during those ninety minutes, and if you will be, we will win, it’s that simple.” He said and remembered Marco’s words. “Football is just a game, it’s not rocket science. Have fun, give your best, and you won’t be disappointed, I guarantee you!

“Okay, now down to business! The starting line-up.” He rubbed his hands together. “We have an amazing squad of players, and it wasn’t hard to put together a team that can beat Liverpool. Jones, you’ll be in goal.” He started. It was the first surprise, and he could hear a few gasps, along with an incredulous look from said goalkeeper and a cutting glance coming from the usual first-choice keeper. “The defense: Durm, Newman, Butland and Davis. Midfield: Wright, Willems, Curro, Götze, Biggs. Correa, you’re the striker. The other players will sit on the bench and will be prepared to jump into the game any time and give their best.” He showed them a wide smile. “Okay, so now it’s time for you to get into your rooms and get a good night’s sleep. I don’t want to be your daddy, I trust you that you understand the severity of our situation and the importance of tomorrow’s game, so you will be kind enough to listen to this instruction, right? I don’t want anyone running on the corridor, do I make myself clear?” Only a few nodded, most of the players still trying to understand the lineup after Seb presented it as hurriedly as possible, not giving anyone a chance to protest.

Seb wasn’t surprised. He knew that he changed a lot of things, especially with relying on their number two goalkeeper and bringing Wright from the youth squad and immediately giving him an important role in the starting lineup. But, if he surprised the players here, it meant that he would surprise Liverpool tomorrow, and it was the first edge they got. He understood that it was also a battle in the coaches’ minds, and his relative unknown position could give him an advantage, no matter what he had said during the press conference. He wanted to win this game badly.

“Hey, coach, could I maybe talk to you?” A hesitant voice brought him out of his musings.

“Yeah, sure. What’s up, Rickie?” He turned to the young goalkeeper he didn’t look sure of himself or that he could really stop by Seb and ask him questions.

“I just don’t know why you have chosen me. I mean, this is a big game, and I have barely played in the Premier League.” He explained.

“I understand it.” Seb showed him a warm smile. “But, you were amazing in training, and I know what you’re capable of. You know that, too. There’s much more in you, right? You are better at passing the ball, you can keep it if needed and what’s more important, you stay inside the box. Liverpool are great at counterattacks and quick attacks. If they find a goalkeeper out of position, they will punish it. You’re never out of position. I have my reasons for choosing you, you shouldn’t doubt yourself, either.”

“Okay.” Rickie nodded.

“This is your chance to show everyone what you’re capable of, Rickie!” Seb placed his hand on the youngster’s shoulder. “You will do great, okay?”

“Yes.” Rickie said, this time with more enthusiasm. “Thanks, coach!” He said goodbye with lifted spirits and followed his teammates out of the room.

“You know how to deal with them.” Klopp stepped forward. His eyes once again had the proud look that warmed Seb’s heart. Klopp looked at him as if he was looking at his own son, and Seb hadn’t gotten many appreciative paternal looks in his childhood.

“Tomorrow, we will see if it’s enough.” Seb shrugged, playing down his role. He meant what he had said about assistant managers. He wanted to stay out of the spotlight. He wanted to do his job quietly and let it speak for him.

“You prepared them well.” Jürgen stopped next to him. “To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect when I handed you control. I believed that you would make it, but at the same time, I’ve never worked with such a young coach in such an important position. These players aren’t the only ones who have grown up to their role, Seb. You grew a lot during this week, too.”

“Thanks.” Seb nodded, not sure what to make out of Klopp’s words. He felt great from it, but at the same time, he couldn’t get rid of his suspicion that it was a simple patter meant to make him feel surer of himself, just like he had talked to Rickie a minute ago.

“I honestly feel like we have a good chance of winning, Sebastian. And it will be completely your merit.” Klopp finished and turned around. “Oh, and by the way, you should take your own advice, too. I see that you are tired, so no last-minute analyses, please.” He laughed. They stayed in one room, and the older man didn’t enjoy having Seb crouching over his laptop the nights before matches.

“Okay.” Seb smiled, suppressing a yawn, and feeling just how exhausted he really was.

He never felt it during preparing for a game. The excitement pushed him forward and he felt like he could go on for weeks without stopping. But now, a few hours before kick-off, the realization set in. He couldn’t do much anymore. It was a knowledge that frightened him, that’s why he loved to work to the last minute, so he could feel himself be in charge. This time, though, he knew it was different. Klopp was right, he needed to be in top form, too. He could only hope that it would be enough.

 

* * *

 

Marco’s heart seemed to have decided to wonder in his body as he waited for Seb’s parents at the airport. One moment, he felt it beating in his throat, the other moment it had sunk somewhere to the level of his stomach, and then he felt its pumping all over his body. The curious looks sent in his direction from everywhere didn’t help him calm down, either. The plane arriving from Germany had been announced long minutes ago and he heard German families and tourists go past him, but there was no sign of his guests.

He was on the verge of a mental breakdown when he finally spotted them. Both looked revived, as if they believed they could mend their relationship with Seb. Marco hoped for the same, but he couldn’t guarantee anything. Ideally, he would have prepared his boyfriend in a way, make him at least think about his parents, but then, Seb would have surely suspected something and that would have led to more misunderstandings and fights. And in the end, it might turn out, that leaving Seb with no time to get ready for this meeting would come in handy.

“Good evening and welcome!” Marco greeted the two comers with a wide smile. He reached for their bag and Mr. Kruse handed it to him willingly. He looked friendlier than the last time Marco had seen him. Apparently, Mrs. Kruse didn’t forget to make sure that her husband knew how to get closer to Seb. “I’m so happy you are here! How was your flight?”

“It was splendid, Marco!” Mrs. Kruse chatted. “Thank you once again for inviting us. It was something we had planned for a long time, we wanted to see Seb, but you know, it’s not something we– well, you know how it is.”

“Yes.” Marco gulped with pain in his chest. He knew what Mrs. Kruse was about to say. It’s not something they could afford. But he wasn’t going to dwell on it. He had other plans with this invitation. Mrs. Kruse understood the kind of relationship Marco and Seb shared, but the blond was determined to dispel Mr. Kruse’s all doubts, as well. He wanted to show him that he was the best choice for his son and that he cared about Seb a lot. He wanted to make this visit really special and convince them that Seb and he were meant to be together. “Can we go?” He suggested, pointing at the door.


	44. The First Half

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This probably won't be an easy chapter to read, but it belongs to the story and I tried to write it with as much consideration as possible. I hope you'll like it. :-)

Nico sat down in front of his laptop with a huge bag of chips, although he was sure he wouldn’t touch it during the match. His stomach was a tight knot as he watched the show leading up to the big derby everyone was talking about. He didn’t want to watch the German broadcast, he was more interested in what the English would make out of it. He cared about Seb a lot, he had always been family to him, and he wanted to know how hard it would be for Seb after the game. Ideally, he would have liked to stay in England, even though he couldn’t do much about whatever was awaiting Seb, but he would like to believe that his presence could help just a little bit. He didn’t remember much about his uncle’s coming out and how the shitstorm affected Marco back then, but he read about it enough to know that football fans could ruin a person’s life if they wanted to. He didn’t want it to happen to Seb.

He gulped as the broadcast switched to the live image from the stadium. The stands were full of fans, hooligans among them, idiots that didn’t know any limits in supporting their favorites. To them, everything was possible. They wouldn’t think twice to insult anyone if it could give their team an advantage, or just for fun.

“Good evening, ladies and gentleman!” The commentator took over as the camera showed the VIP sector with Marco and Klopp talking to each other. “A legendary coach and player duo in the stands, but only in the role of spectators today. Because of Jürgen Klopp’s suspension after last week’s match between Manchester United and Leicester, the Red Devils’ manager finds himself in the stands.” The image switched again, this time depicting the players coming out of the locker rooms, Seb ending the procession. “All eyes will be on this man, Sebastian Kruse, who takes charge of United for this evening.” He continued as Seb walked under the This is Anfield sign. Nico gulped again and wished he had thought about getting something to drink, too.

 

* * *

 

_This is Anfield_. Seb looked at the sign for a split second and then smirked. He remembered this stadium well enough. He remembered the humiliation Marco had had to endure here. That scene didn’t affect him personally that much. He was only an analyst, didn’t even have to sit on the bench and most fans in England didn’t even know about him. He only saw Marco and how they hurt him. His boyfriend had looked like a ghost by the time the match was over, even though he had learnt to deal with the hate he met occasionally. But, it had never been that bad, not after the immediate follow-up to his coming out.

_This is Anfield, and I’m going to rule it_ , Seb thought to himself and balled his fists as he walked past players, patting his own players’ shoulders as everyone waited for the referee’s signal to enter the pitch. He greeted the officials, a meaningless custom, and then climbed the few steps leading to the pitch.

The stadium was full of people, but Seb didn’t spend much time observing it. At first, he was blinded by the photographers flashing their cameras at him, but then he immediately headed for the visitors’ bench. He had meant what he had said about staying professional. He didn’t want to make more out of this football match than it was, although his whole body resisted against keeping his cool.

These very fans had hurt the man he loved more than anything, he had every reason to be hungry for vengeance. He made sure that his hoodie was zipped up and straightened his back. He fought a big inner battle not to look at the VIP sector opposite him and search for Marco. He hadn’t seen the blond when they had arrived here to inspect the pitch, and he wouldn’t have thought that he would miss that small and seemingly meaningless moment when they caught each other’s gazes from distance. But he was also used to being reserved towards his love in the last few days. He still didn’t understand why Marco had left for Germany for a day. They managed to live in peace, but honestly, Seb was missing an explanation and he couldn’t forgive his boyfriend completely until he got it.

The whole stadium erupted in cheering when the players entered the field and lined up to present themselves. The remaining coaches and substitutes took their places, and Liverpool’s manager arrived as the last one. He jogged over to Seb and the young one stood up unwillingly. He didn’t understand why there was just one sector for both benches in the stadium. He would have loved a bit bigger distance, just to make sure that he could remain level-headed.

“Good luck! Let the better team win!” His opponent for the evening shouted into his ear to let himself be heard over the buzz of the crowd. He had a firm handshake.

“Yeah, sure.” Seb nodded and ended the contact as soon as it was possible without looking impolite.

He had enough of the anticipation and buildup. He lived for the game, he wanted to see action on the pitch. He wanted to immerse himself in his job, because every second spent idly made it harder for him to keep back the memories of the night years ago. If he couldn’t do it, this game was already lost.

 

* * *

 

The moment the referee sounded his whistle, Marco’s heart stopped beating, or at least it felt so. There was no way to describe the utter dread he was feeling in every single part of his body. He didn’t really care about the action on the pitch. He only stared at his boyfriend now squatting on the corner of the technical area. He had no idea how Seb was living through this match. The last time they had spoken, just an hour after noon, Seb couldn’t hide his nervousness. Kloppo had reassured Marco that everything was fine. He had talked with the team just when they arrived at Anfield. He was optimistic and sure that Seb would make it, but Marco wasn’t that easy to calm down.

He glanced at Seb’s parents, sitting in front of them. They were both holding onto their seats’ armrest tightly with one hand and holding each other’s hands with the other. His gaze returned to Seb immediately and he saw that the younger one was on his feet now, shouting at his players and gesticulating very wildly. Marco looked at the pitch and realized that Liverpool had just had a huge chance. United’s whole defense looked taken aback by the sudden attack, and Marco had the horrible feeling that another defeat was awaiting them.

 

* * *

 

It was almost the exact replica of what Seb had expected. Of course, he would have liked Liverpool’s first chance to be a bit less threatening, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on what had happened. He stared at Rickie, trying to establish a telepathic connection with the goalkeeper. They needed to attack, and do it quickly.

He didn’t have to worry. Rickie seemed to remember the scenario Seb had delineated before kickoff. He found Wright, who had come closer to the sideline. The youngster got the ball and his first touch was perfect. There was immediate pressure on him, but he could keep possession and lifted his head to see where his teammates were.

The whole team worked as a perfect system. They moved at the same time, charging forward before Liverpool could have recovered and take their defensive positions. It was almost too quick to spot even for Seb who knew what to expect from his players. For everyone else, it must have looked like lucky positioning and a movement unable to follow. But then, that was the whole point of it.

Wright passed to Erik who shot forward immediately. Biggs waited just behind the offside line and started to chase the ball, knowing where it should land. Erik didn’t make a mistake at all. The winger picked up the ball and dribbled past his defender.

United now had four men around the box and only three Liverpool defenders to stop them. But this was the crucial moment. They couldn’t make a mistake, because the overload they created in an attempt to score also presented a counterattacking opportunity for Liverpool. Seb held his breath as he saw from the corner of his eye that everyone on the bench was on their feet. When Biggs centered the ball, it felt like a moment lasting for eternity.

Mario took the ball from the air with his chest, took a few steps towards the goal with it, pulling a defender and the goalkeeper towards him and suddenly passed it back for Correa to finish the action. Seb could hear the snapping sound as the striker hit the ball.

The next sound he heard was the rapturous ovation of their fans.

He watched as the players ran to each other and celebrated the goal that came at the right time. The substitutes were clapping their hands and the coaches ran forward a bit, forgetting about their papers or the fact that they were supposed to do a serious job here. For a moment, they became fans and they remembered why they had fallen in love with this game in the first place. Seb felt a hand around his neck and another one patting his back, but he shook them off without noticing whom they belonged to. He walked to the pitch and called over the nearest player to him.

“Durm, make sure they don’t get carried away.” He asked Erik. He didn’t know why he called him by his surname, it just felt natural. Erik didn’t mind. He nodded and ran over to his younger partners in defense to forward the coach’s message.

Seb allowed himself a moment of personal satisfaction only then. He turned around and watched as the Liverpool coaches tried hard to make a sense out of what had happened. They drew something on a piece of paper and one of them explained something very vehemently to the manager. One of them felt Seb’s look and he looked up. Seb smirked at them. _Try as hard as you want to, we are not going to attack this way again_ , he thought to himself as he walked over to his seat and took a sip from his water.

 

* * *

 

Marco didn’t see the goal, but his heart beat harder when Jürgen sprung up next to him and he saw United’s bench celebrating, too. Seb didn’t look happy at all, but Marco didn’t even expect it. The match had barely started, a stolen glance at the clock told him that they were six minutes in, there was no reason for Seb to lean back and relax. His boyfriend would stand ready for ninety minutes, shouting instructions and adjusting the tactic if needed. _Just like an old-time coach would_ , Marco realized and he felt proud because of the idea. Yes, Seb acted like someone who had done this all his life. He might not look like it, but Marco knew that Seb was paying attention all the time, ready to learn and soaking up the wisdom of the people around him. He had learned a lot from the coaches he had worked with and now he was relying on all that.

Marco glanced at the Kruses in front of him. Mrs. Kruse was resting her head on her husband’s shoulder and based on how often she reached for her face, Marco gathered that she was crying a bit. To be honest, Marco had never seen them in such an intimate moment, the two people holding close together. Whenever Marco and Seb visited them, it was mostly about Mr. Kruse behaving coldly and his wife trying to make up for it. Now, Marco realized that the two really loved each other.

“Would you start watching the match?” Jürgen leaned over to Marco. “You’re missing a lot.” He laughed and Marco listened to him.

His relief didn’t last long. Liverpool reacted perfectly to the conceded goal. They pressed harder, fought harder and attacked all the time, but Manchester’s defense resisted, which made The Reds and their fans frustrated. Then, disaster hit.

 

* * *

 

The crowd’s voice couldn’t be heard in the broadcast that much, but Nico could recognize some of the chants. After the shock of United’s goal, the home fans fell silent, but recovered quickly and spurred on their favorites harder than at the start. It was a real derby, and the battle wasn’t fought only on the pitch, but also on the stands.

But, Liverpool looked like losing, all of their attempts futile and United showed some promising attacks. Nico wasn’t an expert in football, but even he could sense the home players’ uncertainty as they tried hard to change something about the match. The camera sometimes showed their coach and he didn’t look calm, either. So the fans decided to help them out the way they could.

It started with shouting _Fag United_ whenever Erik had the ball. Nico thought it was disgusting, but during his time in England he learned a lot about fan culture from Judy during the matches they watched together. This chant was more usual than Nico would have liked to believe, but it didn’t seem to upset Erik at all. He didn’t lose possession and he passed the ball with confidence.

Nico glanced at the clock. There were ten minutes remaining from the first half, and he hoped that the tension would get better over the break. But when he was about to start focusing on the happenings on the pitch again, another chant hit his ears and he froze in his place when he recognized the words.

He hoped with all his heart that Seb couldn’t make anything out of it in the middle of the noise. He was wrong. The camera showed the young coach who was on his feet, shouting and gesticulating like a madman. His eyes told it all: he wasn’t going to take the fans’ chants without an answer, and the team was his tool.

 

* * *

 

Marco understood the words on their own, but the whole chant didn’t make any sense. Maybe it was his brain stopping him from understanding the entire sentence, because he had a very sure suspicion of what it meant. The chant from years ago echoed in his ears. This time, the Liverpool fans sang something similar, describing what exactly he and Seb were doing in their bed, only switched the two names in it.

Now they attacked Seb.

Marco could feel sympathetic looks from Jürgen and Seb’s parents. He caught Mr. Kruse’s expression. The old man looked at him with guilt and shame in his eyes, as if he wanted to do penance for the home crowd’s behavior. Or his own past mistakes. Every feature of his face mirrored his regret. _I had no idea it was that hard_.

Marco didn’t know how hard it was for Seb right now. He hoped that his boyfriend didn’t hear what he was hearing, but at the bottom of his heart he knew it was futile. You never missed those insulting you and hating you for no good reason. You could learn to live with it, and Marco had done that, but the feeling of being powerless never vanished. Once again, he sat there, unable to do anything about this sort of hate, disgusted by what some people allowed themselves. There was no excuse for it, and he finally got a glimpse of what Seb must have felt all those years ago whenever Marco had had to face this sort of repulse.

He wanted to burst out of his place, run over to the most horrible fans he could find in the stadium and beat them senseless with his own hands. He couldn’t deal with this feeling. Usually, it was Seb who calmed him down and brought some reason into his life whenever something like this happened, but he couldn’t rely on his love now.

“Are you alright?” Jürgen suddenly asked. He forced Marco to look at him.

“Is it even possible?” Marco whined.

 

* * *

 

Seb didn’t care about the pitiful looks from every direction. He didn’t care how bad the Liverpool bench felt right now, or if they felt bad at all. They hadn’t spoken up for him before the match, they didn’t ask their fans to be considerate and show a behavior worthy of the club’s values. Whatever bullshit would have done!

Seb came here with the intention to let this be a simple football match, but he knew that it wasn’t possible anymore. He knew that most cameras were aimed at him, he felt that the fans sitting close to the benches were watching him instead of the game, but most importantly, he knew that Marco was watching him, worrying about him and hurt.

He wasn’t going to let anyone stand between them. He wasn’t fighting for himself, he was also fighting for Marco. He was going to shut the Liverpool fans up, he was sure about it. He wasn’t going to be the reserved coach anymore. He didn’t care about what he had promised Marco about being respectful. Why would he show respect to those who despised him?

The last shred of his conscience and analytic mind told him that it was wrong, that if he gave in to his innermost instincts, he wasn’t going to be any better than those he fought against, but he didn’t care. Not anymore. He wanted it to be a professional matter, but the fans made it personal.

This was a war on who Seb was and everything they had created with Marco and he was going to protect it at all costs. This was a war, and he was going to win it.


	45. The Second Half

Seb hadn’t expected his half-time speech to be so hard. He wasn’t concerned about the sporting part of it. They had a lead. It was only of one goal, but it was a solid and important one. He only needed to tell the defenders what to look out for, the midfielders and attackers where they could find more space, and those minor adjustments should be enough for the half time. Once Liverpool changed their game plan to get the equalizer, he would have to adjust the team during the second half, but he shouldn’t care about it for now.

What troubled him the most was the pitiful looks he got when he entered the locker room. The players were breathing heavily after an intensive forty-five minutes, but they all stared at Seb. The young coach tried to ignore it and he rushed into the small room of the coaches, trying to hide away from the attention. He needed to keep the team focused, the players couldn’t go into the second half being influenced by whatever the Liverpool fans were chanting. Seb needed to calm them down, but before that, he needed to calm himself down and convince himself that this still was only a football game. He already knew that he couldn’t do it.

“Sebastian! How are you–” Walker walked against him when Seb closed the door.

“Spare me that bullshit!” Seb waved. “Let’s talk about how we can make sure we don’t lose the match.” He looked at his colleagues.

Honestly, he didn’t have a real answer to Walker’s question. He didn’t know how he was doing. He didn’t even want to know, because he was afraid of what he would find in his deepest thoughts. He needed to stay professional, but he felt that somewhere deep in his heart, a rage was burning and he didn’t want to let it loose.

They discussed for three minutes, one idea coming right after the other, and Seb considered all of them, accepting the truth in some and immediately refusing others. When it was time to talk to the players, he stayed behind though. He needed a moment on his own to gather his thoughts and compose himself.

“You know, I think you shouldn’t hold back.” Walker stayed with Seb in the room. “These players like you, they want to fight for you. It’s the same when Erik gets insulted. Give them that edge. Don’t demand them to fight for you, but don’t stop them from doing it. They will know what to do.”

Seb nodded, but he didn’t understand any of what the older one was saying. It was against everything he had ever believed in. For him, football was a sport about discipline. He was always awed by the system and order in a team’s play and whenever a player crossed the game plan, he wanted to kill the guy. At this level, the slightest details could decide a match, and he relentlessly held onto a system that didn’t grant the players a lot of freedom, but also deliberated them from the enormous pressure. If they would come out as losers, it wouldn’t be their fault, but the system’s.

He didn’t have much time to muse about the possibilities. He knew that every passing second strengthened the players’ worry about him, and he couldn’t let himself seem weak. He was the man in charge, and he cursed Kloppo for putting him into this situation. But, he was either going to start swimming, or he would sink without a trace.

“Okay, we have forty-five minutes to go!” He clapped his hands when he returned to the players. All eyes were on him, but this time, they were expecting instructions from him. “We’ve been doing fine so far, but it’s still only half-time. We must press much more and higher in the pitch. If we let them attack like this, we will get tired. So I want to see much more work from every midfielder. Götze, you’ll stay deeper, in line with the central midfielders and you’ll move the ball forward, okay? Give your teammates some time to catch their breaths. Also, we’ll change plans in attack. Stick to quick attacks, but put more creativity into it. If they can’t expect anything, they can’t stop us. We all want to win this game, let’s do it!” He shouted at the end.

That was it. He had long lost his belief that big changes could be made at half-time. It all came down to preparations before the game. He needed to get the players ready for different game plans, he couldn’t go into detailed explanations in the fifteen minute break, from which the players needed at least eight to relax and for quick treatments.

He stood in the door and as the players started to return to the pitch, he told them a few more personal notes, explaining where he expected them to be. They all took his advice and Seb saw a fire, a will to win burning in their eyes. It was reassuring.

“Seb, I’m sorry about those–”

“Don’t be, Durm!” Seb groused when the last player stopped by him for a chat. His features softened though, when he realized that he was taking his anger out on Erik. “Look, Erik, I appreciate your care, but it’s not the right time. We’ll take care of silencing those guys, but through football, okay? I need you as a player right now, not as a friend.”

“Okay,” Erik nodded, and then added, “coach.”

 

* * *

 

A completely different team and a completely different coach came out for the second half, and Marco could see it immediately. There was much more fighting on the pitch, and Seb was standing in the middle of it, even if he was on the sideline. He jumped up and down, he shouted instructions in every direction, and he spurred his players on into every tackle. Marco knew that if he were close to Seb, he would see a manic fire in his dark eyes. It was the usual reaction from Seb. Even though the stands were now more or less silent, Seb didn’t forget and didn’t forgive those who had sung. Not because they insulted him. He had learned to live with insults a long time ago. He only cared about people hurting Marco and standing in their relationship. He wanted to crush all of them, and right now, Manchester United was his only tool.

The players showed some amazing football. Liverpool changed and were trying different approaches, but there was nothing they could do against a team that wanted to win so badly. The United players met every challenge, they fought for every ball, they didn’t stop to rest, at least not noticeably, and they pushed hard for a second goal. It took them exactly three minutes. The sector with the visiting fans burst out in ovation again and Marco found himself smiling, too. He could lean back. He knew that Seb would win this.

“I should let him make the half-time speeches more often.” Kloppo noted. Marco looked at him and saw happy sparkles in his eyes. The coach cared deeply about the fortune of his team, not matter where he was or how much he could affect their performance.

The third goal came after an hour of play, and by that time, Marco could actually enjoy the match. He watched Seb celebrating, and he could even forgive him for the somewhat provocative turning around as the younger one made sure that every Liverpool fan realized that for them, the game was over.

After that, Seb sat down in his seat, or rather he was half lying down in it. Marco shook his head in disapproval. Marco knew that there was nothing ill-conceived in the rather smug position, it was simply that Seb found it the most comfortable, but he could already imagine the headlines of every newspaper in the country criticizing him for being disrespectful. But, he also knew his boyfriend well enough to know that it wouldn’t trouble Seb the slightest.

Oddly enough, with United’s control of the game, Kloppo’s nervousness grew, and just before the end of the game, Marco understood, why. It was the last scene in the entire match Marco was grateful was close to its end, and Liverpool got a corner kick. The defense wasn’t set up properly, as if the players were already looking forward to the celebration, and so an unchallenged header found its way to the back of the net. Klopp only hung his head low, but Seb was furious. He sprung up and shouted at his team for such a careless ending. But before they could have taken the kick-off, the referee ended the game.

The stands were mostly empty already, but the remaining fans stood up and headed off from the stadium. Marco stayed in his seat and watched as Seb accepted handshakes from his colleagues and Liverpool’s coaching team. The host’s manager talked to him for some time, Marco guessed that it was a form of an apology for the club, something Seb couldn’t care about. For him, the game was over, and all his resentments forgotten. Or at least, Marco thought so, but just to be sure, he murmured a prayer when he saw a TV crew approaching Seb.

 

* * *

 

Nico didn’t usually watch post-match interviews with coaches, but something told him that this one was going to be interesting. He was sitting in front of his computer with a huge grin on his face after he was a witness to Seb’s revenge on Liverpool for the way they treated Marco and him. Of course, Seb wasn’t going to admit it, but Nico knew that it was so. When the broadcast switched to the mixed zone, the image showed an anxious Seb. For the confident person he was in his private life, he couldn’t lose his fright of public appearances, maybe because he wanted to say and do everything perfectly all the time. The odd thing was that he was quite good at it and he could tackle every such challenge with seeming ease, but it didn’t reflect the battle going on in his mind.

“Sebastian, congratulations on a victory for your side tonight! It looked like a completely deserved win, how did you see it?” The reporter asked and pushed a microphone under Seb’s nose. The young coach looked baffled at it for a moment.

“Yes, it was a great performance from the players, they gave their best and that’s exactly what we deserved for the hard work we put into this game.” Seb cut it short. He looked dying to get out of the camera’s sight as soon as possible.

“What was the key in your team’s success? Could you maybe tell us what ensured your victory?” The reporter went on.

“Yes.” Seb said and a long and awkward silence followed as it took the reporter a few seconds to realize that that was all of Seb’s answer.

“Well, what was it?” He stated the next question with a constrained smile and fake amusement.

“It was really important to score more goals than Liverpool did.” Seb shrugged and Nico burst out laughing hearing the simple answer that summed up everything he knew about Seb and his attitude to football. For him, this sport wasn’t rocket science, sometimes it could be as simple as scoring more than the opponent. Once again, Seb managed to turn an uncomfortable situation into one that he could enjoy and would make him a cool star on the Internet, Nico was sure about it. It was nothing deliberate, it all came instinctively to Seb.

“Thank you for that explanation.” The reporter chuckled, but Nico was sure that behind that façade, he was cursing at Seb. “How did you find the atmosphere in the stadium, the spirit of the derby?”

“The match had everything a derby should have, we saw a spirited fight from the players, and I don’t want to comment whatever went on in the stands, that’s none of my concern.” Seb avoided the more delicate topic with ease.

“What comes next for Manchester United? Is the bad start to the season done with or do you expect further problems along the way?”

“We’ll see how the players will react, this win was important, but now we have to keep working and doing the right things, so we will keep the momentum we’ve built up here.” Seb explained with a wry smile. Every part of his body screamed for leaving, Nico saw it clearly.

“Sebastian Kruse, thank you and congratulations to the win again!” The reporter ended the interview. A quick handshake followed and then, the live coverage was back to the studio with some analysis Nico wasn’t interested in.

He reached for his phone, sent a message to Seb, a reassuring SMS to his uncle and then, he dialed Judy’s number. He was sure he was going to hear a happy girlfriend from the other end of the line after such a huge win.

 

* * *

 

Everyone in the locker room was jubilant. Seb had had to go through the drag of the post-match press conference. He was lucky, the events on the pitch gave the journalists enough to talk about, there wasn’t a question about the Liverpool fans’ behavior. Seb saw two reasons for it: first, the yellow press didn’t need any comments from him to write whatever they wanted to, and second, the usual reaction to such hatred was shock and then a long silence, as if everyone hoped things would get better if no-one talked about them. This time, Seb was grateful for this kind of thinking, even if it lacked any kind of reason in his opinion.

The players got around him immediately and patted his shoulder, appreciative comments coming from every possible direction. Seb accepted them with lame smiling and excitement. He wanted to deal with success on his own, or maybe share it with Marco, he had no intention of staying in the middle of attention. But, it was important to let the players have a few hours of careless joy before they would be told to focus the next day, and Seb was ready to give them that.

“I’m not important anymore?” Klopp entered the room. His laughter was contagious and only heightened the jubilation. “Guys, I want to thank all of you for this evening. It was amazing, I saw a completely different team to the one you looked like in the last two weeks. We are up for great things, I’m sure about it.” He added his part of the post-match talks.

He pushed his way through the players, grabbed Seb and took him into the small room of the coaches. It was empty already, with their bags packed for leaving. The older man looked Seb deep in the eye and showed a serious face before his features softened.

“Thank you, Sebastian! You outdid yourself, I must say. I wouldn’t have thought that your preparations would work _this_ well. And you reacted well to whatever happened during the game… most of the time.” Klopp summed up his opinion.

“Yeah, that goal at the end shouldn’t have happened.” Seb drawled and shot down his eyes.

“Look, I know this game touched you on a personal level, but you shouldn’t let yourself get so distracted again. I speak from own experience. When the players see a coach too calm, they will switch off.”

“Yes, I’ve learned it.” Seb nodded.

“That’s why we make mistakes.” Klopp patted his arm and smiled at him. “You shouldn’t dwell on it. Celebrate, you have every right to do it!” He laughed, but spotted immediately that something was still troubling Seb.

“How was– how did Marco deal with it?” Seb’s voice broke.

“You can ask him yourself.” Klopp said. “He should be here any moment.” He winked at him. “He has to wait until it gets clearer in this part of the stadium, but he’s waiting as close as possible. I couldn’t take him here, no matter how I tried. Security has gone mad around here.”

“Thanks.” Seb let out a sigh of relief.

“You can go home with him.” Klopp suggested.

“No,” Seb shook his head, “I think I should travel with the team.”

“It’s no problem.” Klopp reassured him. “They won’t take it the wrong way, and besides… I wouldn’t mind you not getting a shower of glory. It might have the wrong effect on you. Some things are more important than football.” He left the coaching room with a mischievous smile.

Something about it troubled Seb. He had had the feeling that he was missing something the entire week, and it only got worse now. He took Klopp’s advice. He bolted out the room, straight to the corridor and started to search for his boyfriend.

He found Marco standing impatiently at the door, eyeing a grim security guard, waiting for the moment when he would go away. It didn’t seem imminent.

“Hey!” Seb greeted him.

“There’s my winner!” Marco smiled at him and hugged him. “I’m so proud of you.” He mumbled against Seb’s neck.

“Is everything fine?” Seb pulled back and inspected Marco’s eyes closely.

“Yes.” The blond nodded. “It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. You really made them shut up.”

“I’ve told you I wouldn’t let them hurt us.” Seb smiled at him.

“Let’s not talk about it, okay?” Marco said. “How did you like coaching?”

“It was fun.” Seb started to speak, and Marco readied himself for a long monologue that followed whenever Seb’s eyes sparkled with that passionate fire. “At first, I was afraid of the challenge, especially after we scored for the first time. I feared that the guys might switch off and I would have to save a game we were heading to win, but luckily, everyone did his job. It was incredible. All the little details worked the way they should have worked.” He talked rapidly, as if he had taken a stimulant.

“I was really impressed, and I don’t think I’m the only one.” Marco said tenderly. Seb didn’t spot the strange undertone of Marco’s voice.

“Yes.” Seb nodded. “I’m sure my father is fuming right now, seeing his wreck of a son actually achieving something.” He smirked, not knowing that he had hit the nail on the head. For a moment, there was the look of a child seeking his parents’ approval in his eyes, but it vanished within a split second. “But then, I don’t think he cared to watch it.”

“Well, actually…” Marco cleared his throat. “He is waiting with your mom just outside.” He admitted and held his breath back as he awaited Seb’s reaction.


	46. Change of Plans

“What?” Seb snapped. His face turned white, he showed a baffled expression and his eyes told Marco that he’d better be joking. Seeing that reaction, the blond wished that he was. But there was no turning back now.

“When I flew to Dortmund with Nico, it wasn’t because I wanted to visit my parents. It was because I went to see yours and I invited them so they could be here for their son for his big moment.” Marco explained. Seb was fuming and he had to take a step back to feel comfortable and safe. Whenever his parents were brought up, especially his father, everything could happen with Seb.

“Of course!” Seb snorted. “Once again, you know better what I want and get involved in my life.”

“I _am_ involved in your life!” Marco snapped back. “We are together, in case you haven’t noticed it!”

“You know how I meant it!” Seb was practically yelling now. His hand was shaking as he brought it to his face and started to rub his temples. It calmed him down a bit and he continued quietly. “Marco, you shouldn’t have called them here. I don’t want to meet them.”

“Well, that will be a problem.” Marco resisted. “They are staying at our place.”

Seb opened his mouth to blurt out another fierce objection, but he closed it immediately. He was silent for a moment, as if he wasn’t sure what he should say, but then he simply shrugged. “I’ll ask Erik or Mario if I could sleep in their house.” He said, already turning around and headed to the locker room.

“Seb!” Marco’s voice broke and what should have been a sharp call turned out to be a barely audible whisper. “Do you think you are fair to them? You haven’t talked to them since we came to England.”

“Don’t make it a huge think. I wouldn’t have talked to them back in Germany if it wasn’t for you pushing the matter so hard.” Seb rolled his eyes, but at least he stopped and turned back.

“I’m only saying that you don’t make any sense.” Marco continued. “I know that you long for their love. I can see it, Seb. It is completely normal. A lot of things changed in your life, you are successful and you want to share it with them. Say whatever you want, I know you don’t just want to rub it under your dad’s nose. You want to see him proud of you. And he is, I can tell you. So why won’t you let him show it to you, too?”

“You don’t understand this, Marco. You never will.” Seb shook his head. He looked exhausted all of a sudden. His shoulders slumped and for a moment, Marco felt only sympathy for him. But then, he remembered that it was Seb’s stubbornness keeping him from the family he wanted to have, and he attacked that resistance with fresh ambition.

“Maybe I won’t. Maybe I’m too stupid to not accept the hatred you feel for your dad. Maybe I’m the only one thinking that you shouldn’t shrug it off and say that it’s like that between you two. But if you turn your back on them, Seb, you will regret it later. I know it.”

“Yeah, sure.” A constrained smile appeared on Seb’s face. “You can see the future, right? Then you should also know that this reasoning won’t work with me. I don’t care if I will regret it later or not. For the record, I don’t think I will. But even if it is so, I’m not regretting it now, and that’s enough for me.” He turned around again, and this time, Marco wasn’t so optimistic about stopping him.

“Seb!” He stepped forward and grabbed the younger one’s wrist. Seb spun around. His eyes were sending electric jolts towards Marco, and the blond loosened his grip, but didn’t let go of Seb’s hand. “I mean what I said. Please.” He pleaded.

There had to be something about his despair that struck Seb’s cold heart. His dark eyes lost their cutting edge, and his features softened a little bit, too. He relaxed his back and ran his free hand through his hair. For the first time since the start of their conversation, he looked like he understood Marco’s reasons and maybe also got a glimpse of how serious the situation was. Marco remembered that Seb had been worried about his father after their departure from Dortmund. But, in the middle of work, Seb slowly forgot about it, or at least found a way to hide his concern. Now, Marco was hoping to reignite that little flame.

“I should go back to Manchester with the team.” Seb said calmly.

“We both know that you don’t.” Marco shook his head in disbelief. With every passing second, he saw his chances grimmer. “I’ve talked to Kloppo. He gave you a free leave because of your parents. They watched the entire game with us in the VIP zone. Seb, they want to talk to you. I don’t want you to make up or anything, but please, give them a chance to be your parents. I don’t care what happened between you in the past, they deserve this much, no matter what!”

“I see you’ve thought of everything.” Seb groused.

It was a promising sign. It looked like Seb wasn’t going to fight his situation anymore, understanding that he was practically powerless here. He still sent a warning glance at Marco, making sure that the blond knew this wasn’t the end to their conflict. Marco acknowledged it with a nod and then sent a reassuring smile at Seb.

He was still holding Seb’s hand, and in a moment of not paying complete attention, Seb freed himself. Marco got scared that he was going to lose his boyfriend, but Seb took his hand again, this time entangling their fingers. A huge rock fell off Marco’s heart and he let out a sigh of relief. A warm feeling surged through his body as he once again experienced the love he was feeling for Seb in its purest form. With all the masks he was wearing, it was hard to get to the core of Seb’s personality, but whenever it happened, it had this effect on Marco. He didn’t even fear Seb’s possible anger. In this state, he was going to understand why Marco was so adamant and would admit that the blond had been right. Marco had done his part, now it was up to Mr. Kruse to do the same and not scare Seb away.

 

* * *

 

The moment he saw his parents, he sensed that something was very wrong. His mother looked tired, but not because of the traveling or the match. She was tired of life and Seb had never seen her that way. Even during the hardest phases of their life, when Seb and his father were fighting constantly, she kept her optimism and a lively sparkle in her eyes. Now, there wasn’t a single trace of it there.

But it was still nothing compared to how his father looked like. Seb’s heart sank when he saw the old man. It was the first time he saw him old, but it wasn’t possible not to notice the change. He had always been a strong man, but now, he was nothing more than a shadow of his past self. He was clutching onto his wife, his legs barely strong enough to keep him upright. His arms were thin and weak, his hairline was receding and getting gray. His face had sunken, and although his cheeks were red, it was probably because of the chilly air and not his energy.

Seb had to stop to take in the sight. His stomach clenched into a tight knot and he needed to take a deep breath. Marco stopped with him and squeezed his hand. Seb now understood what the blond had meant that he was going to regret not caring about his parents. He looked gratefully at his boyfriend, and Marco smiled back at him, lending him power to get through this meeting and the evening. He was supporting him in every possible way, and there was not a hint of feeling self-vindication. He was led by pure concern for Seb, and Seb had been too blind to see it.

“Seb darling!” His mother was the first one to break the silence. “Very impressive win, I must say.” She smiled at him. She made sure that her husband would manage to keep standing and then she hugged Seb. Marco stepped back and walked over to Mr. Kruse, taking her role.

“You don’t even watch football, Mom! How would you know?” It was a stupid thing to say, but there was nothing else on his mind. He kept staring at his father, and there was a silent conversation going on between them.

“We’ve watched a few games since you are at United, and back when you were still at Dortmund. I can’t say that I know quite as much as you do, but I’m getting better at it.” She explained, laughing, but when she returned to her husband, Seb could see that she was crying. “You really made us proud, darling!”

“Yes, I–” Seb started, but stopped himself. What he was supposed to say? That he couldn’t care about it? That he only wanted to win the match and not make his parents proud? Whom was he trying to fool? Marco was right, he wanted to be loved by them. He cared about what they thought of him, he couldn’t simply overwrite a basic instinct. “Thank you.” He finally croaked out, on the verge of crying himself. He had considered himself lucky after his relationship with Marco and his promotion to an assistant manager, but he realized only now how much he was still missing.

“We should leave now.” Marco took matters into his own hand. He sensed that every Kruse needed some time to digest this moment and that they couldn’t tell each other anything right now. “A delicious dinner awaits us back home, and I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry!” He laughed. It was a futile attempt to lighten the mood, but Seb appreciated it.

Marco started off towards the parking lot. Seb’s mother grabbed his father’s hand and they followed the blond slowly. Seb had no idea where he should go. When he saw his father’s gritted teeth as he made faltering step after faltering step, he wanted to step next to him and support him, but he also knew that he wouldn’t accept help. There was a reason why Seb was so stubborn, he got it from his father.

In the end, he just walked after all three of them, hanging his head low, staring at the pavement under his shoes and wallowing in his grim thoughts. His father was sick, probably dying by the looks of it, and he didn’t have the slightest clue about it. He sensed something on their farewell dinner in Dortmund, but he was too busy to really care. What kind of a horrible person was he? How could he let his grudge blind him this much? All his life, he tried real hard not to become the grumpy man he had always seen in his father, but against all his efforts, or exactly because of them, he turned out to be exactly like that. Maybe he was even worse. He was disgusted at himself.

Marco was right, he didn’t even think about his parents. Ever since they moved to England, he felt himself liberated from his past, ignorant that it was slowly but surely creeping up on him. He envisioned this evening completely different. He had wanted to celebrate with the team first, and then with Marco in the privacy of their house. Now, he knew that it wouldn’t come to that, but he didn’t mind. This right now was much more important, and Marco had seen it better than he had done. He looked at the blond. Marco felt his eyes on him and he turned around. Words couldn’t express what Seb was feeling at that moment, and still, Marco seemed to understand him completely. He had presented Seb with an umpteenth chance to make up with his parents, but the raven-haired knew that it was his last one. He wasn’t going to blow it.

 

* * *

 

They didn’t talk much during dinner, either. It was Seb’s favorite, it turned out. His mother and Marco had been cooking all afternoon to prepare this delicious meal, but Seb didn’t enjoy it. He couldn’t take his eyes off his father. He couldn’t accept that the man he had been afraid of all his life was the same man that was now struggling to bring food to his mouth. Frank Kruse was fighting, though. He didn’t want to look weak. He didn’t accept more help than necessary, and he did his best to cover the signs of his illness. He was failing utterly and when Seb saw how much he was struggling for no good reason, he wanted to tell him off and make him stop all the acting.

But, he didn’t know what to say. He had no idea how he was supposed to start a conversation everyone needed to have, and yet, they were all afraid to start it. It was fucked up. Seb had no problems leading one of the biggest football teams in the world only a few hours ago, and now, he couldn’t speak to his own parents.

His father broke the deadlock when he stood up and excused himself. Seb waited until he heard the bathroom door being shut behind him. Then, he looked at Marco and his mother, asking them without a sound and followed his father outside.

The waiting was unnerving. He still had no idea what he was going to say, but he urged his father to come out so they could end this awkward silence between them. He lost all perception of time and when the door was finally open, he charged forward.

“How long?” He demanded without any further explanation. His father recoiled and gulped.

“A few months. A year if I’m lucky.” He said. Seb raised his eyebrow. The man standing in front of him didn’t look like justifying such a positive prognosis. “If therapy doesn’t kill me sooner.”

“What is it?” Seb asked. His voice was breaking. He didn’t want to think about the meaning of what his father was telling him.

“The doctors say it started off as cancer, but by now, it’s basically everything. My liver is giving up.”

“But can’t they do anything about it?” Seb snapped, angry at medicine in general. “Maybe a transplant or something?”

“It would only prolong my life – or my dying. They have put me on a list, but you know, it takes long until it comes to me and they find a suitable donor.” He shrugged with the resignation of someone accepting death.

“We have the same blood type, right?”

His father’s eyes went wide when he understood what Seb was referring to. “Seb, that’s– you can’t!”

“I can and I will.” Seb stated it clearly. “Can you arrange a meeting with your doc?”

“Seb, no.” His father shook his head. “I can’t expect you to do it. Not after all the things I’ve done to you.” He gulped again.

“What are you talking about?” Seb cried out. “I’m your son for fuck’s sake! I don’t care about what you did, I can’t see you dying and do nothing about it!” He yelled and then, he broke down in tears, he wasn’t even sure, why.

He was sobbing and he buried his face in his hands. Maybe it was all the stress he had had in the last week emerging this way, or the nervousness he had been feeling the whole evening, but most probably it was the helplessness he felt when faced with something this natural and yet so horrid. His father stepped to him and put his hand on Seb’s back carefully. Seb cramped under the touch at first, but then, he let go, and he pressed his head against the comforting chest. He had no idea when was the last time that the two of them had shared this kind of intimacy. Maybe there hadn’t been a time, and Seb didn’t even care. He kept crying and his father kept hushing him, calming him down, and it felt so good.

“Is there really nothing we can do?” Seb finally found his tongue again. He stepped back, rubbing his eyes.

“It’s okay, Seb,” his father said. “I’ve made my peace with what’s awaiting me. The doctor says it will get better after this first part of therapy. I don’t want to fight it, Seb.”

“If it’s about you sacrificing yourself so you can repent your sins or anything this stupid, you should stop it right now.” Seb warned him. It was strange. He should have been looking for ways to make up with his father, and he was blaming him for giving up.

“It’s not that, Seb.” He explained. “I can see past whatever people tell me. The doctors talk about this therapy and that treatment, they say it can be manageable, but that’s nothing more than vain hope. I know my body and I can feel life slowly leaving me. I don’t want to prolong my struggling, you know? I don’t want a transplant or anything. It would be stealing from someone with real chances, and I can’t do that.”

“Fuck you and your logical thinking.” Seb shook his head, but there wasn’t real anger in him anymore.

“Well, you didn’t think you were the only one gifted with it.” His father smiled at him mischievously, and for the first time since a long time, they seemed to understand each other perfectly. Seb wanted the moment to last forever, or at least much longer than it lasted in the end. “But, there is one thing you can do.”

“What’s that?” Seb jerked his head up, ready to act on whatever his father was going to propose.

“Well–” He hesitated. “I would like to see my grandkids before– you know.”

Seb’s brain was blocked. He didn’t understand what the other man was talking about, or he didn’t want to. “I don’t know how serious Greta and Timo are…” He drawled.

“I’m not talking about them.” His father shook his head. “I’m talking about Marco and you.” He stated it clearly. “You would make amazing parents, and I don’t know how I could not see it for so long.”


	47. What's Truly Important

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'll be glad to know your opinion on the update. :-)

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Marco burst out when they were in their bedroom. Seb had just taken off his hoodie and was rooting around in his wallet.

“What?” Seb straightened his back and looked at himself in the mirror, checking out his appearance. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“Please tell me that you have changed your clothes since the match!” Marco begged.

“No, why?” Seb frowned. He still didn’t understand where Marco was heading.

“You were wearing _this_?” He pointed at Seb’s T-shirt with the Avengers on it.

“What’s wrong with it? No one saw it, it was covered, and it’s really comfortable.” Seb shrugged.

“And what’s about all the talk with you not caring about the match on a personal level and you not wanting to avenge anything?” Marco smiled, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Okay, maybe I wasn’t completely honest.” Seb admitted with the cheekiness of a small child caught in a mischief.

“You really are like a kid sometimes.” Marco laughed. He walked over to Seb and embraced him.

“I am,” Seb nodded, with all sincerity. “And thanks to you, I might have parents again.” Marco pulled back and looked the younger one in the eyes. He saw gratitude and a need for being taken care of. It looked as if Seb felt himself be lost in all the hardships of the world and needed a guiding hand. “You were right, I would have never forgiven myself if I hadn’t talked to them. But, I had no idea that Dad was so ill.” He explained with great vehemence, his talk getting ragged as he was fighting with his tears.

“Shh, it’s fine.” Marco pulled him close. “The important thing is that you’ve made it up to each other.”

“Do you think that he’s serious about everything he said?” Seb asked. He stepped away from Marco and sat up on the bed. The blond soon joined him. They lay down, Marco resting his body on Seb’s, the raven haired man stroking his face with the back of his thumb.

“I’d like to believe it.” Marco said.

“Me too.” Seb said. “But you never know with him. I mean, I am truly glad that he has changed his mind, but what if it’s only because of his illness? Maybe he only wants to face death with a clear conscience?”

“Does it matter?” Marco turned to Seb. It was a very uncomfortable position, but he wouldn’t have traded the support Seb’s body lent him for anything. “Do you want to refuse him that?”

“Of course not, but it would be strange.” Seb drawled. “It would be better if I could accept it with the knowledge that he has no other reason than the simple love for me.”

“He loves you, Seb.” Marco reassured him. “He only has problems expressing it. You weren’t that open about your feelings, either. I had to teach you a lot. But you were a willing student.”

“Oh, please…” Seb smiled. “I only had a great teacher.”

“So what’s going to happen between you and your dad now?” Marco asked instead of giving in to Seb’s compliments. He was already blushing, he needed to avert the focus from himself.

“I don’t know.” Seb shrugged. “I would never have thought that he meant so much to me after all the things he had done. But when he told me,” his voice broke, “I didn’t even think. He needs help and I was willing to give it to him. I didn’t understand what was going on. Is it even normal to offer some of your liver to a guy you thought you hated?”

“It’s called love and care.” Marco said after a moment of thinking. “And it’s completely normal. I am really proud of you, darling. But please, don’t ruin this opportunity. I’ve seen you and him many times this way, only to see you fight the next day.”

“Yes, our peace treaties tend to last just one night.” Seb laughed. “But I think this time, it’s serious. I see now that I really have to do this. When he told me that you and I, that we should adopt a kid, I saw a chance for a normal family, and I don’t want to lose it, even if it will be a hard fight.”

“And what do you think about it? Us adopting a kid?” Marco asked the question directly. He was half-afraid that Seb would pull back and digress, so that he wouldn’t have to answer this to him uncomfortable question, but he didn’t do it.

“I’ve thought about it.” Seb admitted and pecked Marco’s forehead. He shifted on the bed and when he found a satisfying position, he put his hand near the blonde’s. “But I’ve always been coming up with excuses, and I’m sorry about it. I can’t really know what kind of parent I will be until I try it, right?” He smiled. “Right now, something tells me that by your side, I would make it. That together, we would make it.” Marco wanted to turn around and kiss Seb senseless for his words, but his boyfriend wasn’t finished, and his next words sent Marco’s heart sinking. “But– I’ve also thought that we should settle in first and grow really strong together.” His voice was shaking and Marco didn’t understand any of it. “I’ve always felt like we missed a last step before we were a real family.”

“Seb, what are you talking about?” Marco shivered. He was pale and horrified by his love’s words.

He didn’t agree with what Seb was saying. He thought that their relationship was perfect, they could talk through their quarrels and never questioned their love for each other. He turned around to be able to look Seb in the eyes. The dark depths looked back at him with a strange flicker in them. Marco frowned as he tried really hard, but he couldn’t make anything out of it. Seb’s face was a cold stone that melted in a split second as Marco felt something being slid on his finger.

He looked at what Seb was up to and he almost fainted when he saw a silver ring on his finger with a golden thread in it.

His eyes saw it, but his brain couldn’t accept it. He was in a sort of shock. The facts were all there, a ring on his ring finger above all, and yet, he couldn’t understand what was going on. He heard Seb’s soft chuckle as if it was coming from a distance and then the younger one’s hand pulled him closer to him.

“Now I don’t think we are missing anything.” He whispered into Marco’s ear and it dispelled the cloud in his mind.

“Wh–what?” He stammered, staring at the ring and flexing his finger.

“Do I really have to bring it down to you?” Seb asked with a mischievous smile. “You know that I take what I want, and you would have said yes anyways, right?”

Marco kept watching him and as realization dawned on him, he could appreciate the boldness of Seb proposing to him, because it was a proposal, even if a very strange one. Marco would have lied if he had said that he had never imagined this moment happening. He had looked forward to it with great excitement, but Seb seemed to take his time. There were times when Marco seriously considered taking charge of their proposing to each other, because he wasn’t going to wait forever.

Of course, in his thoughts it had been different. He had imagined something romantic, a pleasant dinner maybe, Seb stepping to him, kneeling down in front of him, having a monologue about how much he loves Marco and that he can’t live without him anymore, and then uttering that very important question.

Looking back now, it was a ridiculous fantasy with all the clichés Marco’s mind could come up with. No, a dinner wouldn’t be befitting to them and he couldn’t expect Seb to spill his heart out, because it wasn’t his boyfriend. _This_ right here, the odd proposal was everything Seb stood for: a simple and effective declaration of love, and with the desired effect. Marco was sure that he wouldn’t have been more overcome with a traditional proposal, either. Still, there was a voice babbling in his head, and he had to satisfy him.

“So, you are not even going to ask me?” Marco asked. He lifted his eyebrows in anticipation. Seb eyed him for a moment with a look that could be compared to annoyance, but then, he patted Marco’s chest.

“Sit up!” He said and the blond complied. Then, Seb crawled out of bed with a heartfelt sigh and he knelt down in front of Marco, taking his hand in his, resting his palm on the ring that now had taken up Marco’s body heat. “Marco Reus, will you do me the honor of marrying me?” Seb asked. Marco half-expected him to be taking it playfully, there had to be a reason why he had chosen the way he had chosen in the first place, but there was only earnestness in his voice.

“I will.” Marco said and his heart sank for the second time when he understood for real what it meant. This wasn’t just a promise they made to each other on a daily basis. This was a solemn oath, one they couldn’t get out of. Not that Marco wanted to, and he was damn sure that Seb agreed with him on that.

He leaned forward and kissed Seb, their lips dancing together, sealing the new bound that connected them even firmer. After ten years of being together, Marco wouldn’t have thought that this proposal would actually mean anything. To him, they were already a couple, they lived and stuck together through good and bad. Still, the reality of their proposal changed everything. It immediately purged Marco’s mind of any doubts about their joint future that still crept there. From now on, they could look in one direction only: forward.

“It is beautiful!” He finally said, playing with the ring. They were lying next to each other again, Marco resting his head on Seb’s chest, the younger one stroking his arm in a slow rhythm.

“I thought you would like it. You had said it yourself.” Seb said, talking to the ceiling. Marco propped himself up on one elbow and furrowed his brows.

“What are you talking about?” He asked. “When did I–”

“Don’t you remember it?” There was a hint of disappointment in Seb’s voice. “This is from a jewelry shop in Italy. You spotted this ring when we were on holiday there. You said you liked it a lot, so the next day, when you were napping, I went there and bought it. I thought it might come in handy sometime.”

“Our holiday in Italy?” Marco echoed, not believing his ears. “But that was like seven years ago!”

“Yes, so what?” Seb shrugged.

“Do you want to tell me that you’ve been having an engagement ring for seven years?” Marco asked with sincere shock.

“Yes.” Seb nodded, his cheeks reddening. At first, Marco didn’t understand, but then, the penny dropped and his heart filled with a warm feeling of love for his boyfriend when he understood why Seb reacted this way.

“Oh, babe!” He sighed and pulled Seb close to himself. “That is so romantic! I don’t know what to say! It is not lame at all!” He reassured Seb before the raven haired could come up with his reasons to feel awkward about it. Marco had long forgotten about the declaration of love he thought should have been a part of a proposal. This was a much better declaration than anything else. “I love you so much, and I can’t tell you how much this means to me!”

“I know.” Seb smiled, and it was the first completely happy expression on his face since he started to lead their conversation in this direction. He seemed to understand that Marco had really sworn to live his life with him and there was no turning back from there. “You’ve been waiting for this so long, and I wanted it to be perfect.”

“It was.” Marco nodded vehemently. “The most perfect proposal anyone has ever had. And thank you for everything you have ever done for me and all the things that you will. I understand that this is a big thing for you, and to know that you’ve been sure that you would get here even seven years ago… I want to cry just when I think about it.” Marco admitted with a snicker.

“Don’t do that. I am far too tired for changing the bedsheets when you get them all wet.” Seb noted and Marco wanted to punch him and hug him even firmer for it at the same time. This was the reason why he had fallen in love with his fiancé in the first place. Fiancé. The word sounded strange to him, but he needed to get used to it. But first, Seb’s mocking yelled for a retribution and Marco already knew the best way to do it.

“Oh yes? If I were you, I wouldn’t be so smug, either! Just wait until you’ll talk to my parents and ask for their blessing.” He said, putting as much seriousness into it as he could muster. The effect came immediately. The dread sitting out on Seb’s face was one-hundred percent real.

“What?” He stammered. He had lost all of his self-confidence and looked ready to faint until the moment when Marco burst out laughing. Then, there was a split second of relief taken over by resentment. “You–”

“Be aware, Seb! You can’t talk any way you like about your fiancé!” Marco raised his hands in a defensive gesture, still having a hard time suppressing his laughter. He could see Seb fighting with his frustration, but a moment later, the younger one softened, too, and joined the blond’s laughter, the careless ringing tone foreshadowing the bright future awaiting them.

 

* * *

 

The first thing Marco checked in the morning was the ring. It was in its place and it was beautiful, gleaming in the early sunshine. The man who had given it to him was lying awake next to him, and he didn’t look like he had slept a lot during the night.

“What’s wrong, Seb?” Marco asked and snuggled close to him.

“Good morning! Did I wake you up?” Seb was worried.

“No.” Marco shook his head. “But I see something is troubling you.”

“It’s nothing.” Seb sighed. “I was just thinking that maybe– would it be okay if we told my folks about our engagement? Or do you want to tell your parents first?”

“Seb! Of course it is okay.” Marco’s features softened with a sigh of relief. “They are here and they should know. It is natural! Do you think that they are already up?”

“I don’t know.” Seb shrugged. “If not, we could prepare a breakfast or something?” He suggested. He obviously had no idea how he should deal with his parents and Marco’s heart ached for him. He wanted to help his love as much as he could and he was going to support him throughout this quest of mending his family life.

“That sounds wonderful! Let’s go then!” He smiled and sprung out of bed.

Seb had a bit harder time. He wasn’t a good riser at all. By now, Marco had learnt to read his emotions and knew when it was the best time to get out of Seb’s way and not to disturb him if someone didn’t want to get in trouble. This morning, Seb looked only afraid of the big announcement that was awaiting him, but that was understandable. Marco’s stomach clenched when he thought about him talking to his own parents, and their relationship was as good as it could only get.

As it turned out, they were late with their plan. The smell of fresh coffee awaited them in the kitchen along with a set table. There was toast, eggs, a plate with everything their fridge offered and even fresh buns. Marco and Seb exchanged an amazed glance and then they turned their attention to the ones responsible for this pleasant surprise.

Frank Kruse didn’t resemble his self from the days before. His wife had been right, Marco agreed. He needed to get on well with his son more than he needed any sort of therapy and medication. The first tiny step had already done wonders to him and Marco could only imagine how much it meant to the old man. Mrs. Kruse was as vital as ever, but her eyes reflected her mood, too. They glistened and the love for her son that burnt in them made Marco’s heart melt.

“Good morning, boys! You are just on time! I think we have everything we could need for a breakfast, Frank was kind enough to go to the baker’s.” She greeted them.

“Wow, this is amazing, Mom!” Seb gawped. “And Dad!” He added, after Marco squeezed his hand. “But before we start, could I say something?” He asked and all eyes turned to him with great enthusiasm and curiosity. He felt intimidated, it was clear to see and Marco stepped closer to him, their bodies as close as they could get. “Well, first of all, thank you once again that you came here. It means a lot to me, and I’m glad that you were there for me yesterday.” He said, and turning from Marco to his parents mid-sentence. “And there is something else I need to say. Marco and I– we thought that we would bind our lives together. I asked him if he would marry me, and he said yes.” He said it the simplest way possible after a deep breath.

For a moment, time stood still, but then, his parents broke out in joy. Mrs. Kruse rushed to them and embraced both of them at the same time, while her husband stood up and watched them from a distance but with the same happiness in his eyes. If Seb needed any evidence that his kindness from yesterday was serious, there it was.

“This is wonderful.” He said. “We are really happy for you, and I must say– it took you longer than I thought it would. No offense.”

“None taken.” Seb smiled. He seemed to be a few inches above the ground from relief and happiness.

“Have you thought about the wedding date yet?” Mrs. Kruse was quick to inquire. Marco opened his mouth to explain the situation, but Seb was quicker than him.

“Well, since they don’t have a winter break in England, I think that the first international break in spring should be the best time.” He answered.

“What?” Marco snapped and turned to his love, completely taken aback.

“You might want to discuss that.” Frank chuckled, but stopped after a reprimanding look from his wife.

“What?” Seb shrugged, completely baffled by Marco’s reaction. “You had to wait for years for the proposal, do you want another eight years until our wedding?”

“Guys, you can really sort it out later.” Mr. Kruse intervened. “You are in no hurry. I don’t want to ruin the mood, but there is a huge breakfast waiting for us, and I’m starving!” He suggested and all of them sat down to the table. “But I think we should celebrate this news somehow.” He said. Marco looked at him and saw how unsure he was. He kept staring at Seb, ready to spot the slightest sign of annoyance that would tell him to retreat. It was a futile search. Finally, it seemed that both of them were serious about their efforts to bury the past.

“That would be great, but I have to go to work.” Seb explained.

“Oh.” Mr. Kruse sighed and shot his eyes down.

“But we have only one training session and after that, I’ll come home as soon as possible.” Seb added. Then, he jerked his head up, a good idea emerging in his head. “But you know what? Maybe you could go with Marco and he can show you his football academy. It’s a great place. What do you say?” He turned to the blond.

Marco didn’t know what to think. Seb’s parents were his guests in a way, but he didn’t imagine himself spending hours with them on his own. But a deeper look at Seb’s eyes told him how much it would mean for the younger one. Seb was honestly proud of what Marco had gotten started and he wanted his parents to see what an amazing man his boyfriend was, now that he was about to marry him. After this realization, Marco couldn’t say no.


	48. How We Do Things

Marco wasn’t really convinced that this was a good idea. It felt somehow strange to hang out with Seb’s folks when these days should have been about the Kruses sorting things out. Marco might have been a huge and undisputable part of Seb’s life, but he still wasn’t a member of this family, at least not in the way Marco’s own parents considered his love. Still, if Seb wanted his parents to see what Marco was doing, the blond was willing to comply.

They had a lot of time, Marco knew Seb better than to trust his promise of coming home early. Even if he wanted to make up for a lot of things with his father, Marco knew that Seb would grab the first chance when work could intervene. It wasn’t anything conscious or ill-meant, it was simply the way Seb worked. He couldn’t turn down a chance to do what he loved.

First, right after breakfast, Marco took the Kruses on a tour in the city. He didn’t know much about Manchester, either, not as much as he would have liked to, but he showed them the most important places and also his and Seb’s favorites. He thought that it was dull and he was only buying himself time before he would get to the more personal part of showing them the academy, but to his utmost surprise, his guests seemed to be truly interested. They listened eagerly when Marco recalled the memories of dinners and strolls. He didn’t forget to mention fans stopping them and taking photos with Seb, and he also made up such situations when he saw how much they meant to Seb’s parents. They deserved happiness, to forget about their biggest problems, and Marco felt like he could help them.

What he didn’t expect was how much it helped him, too. He had always missed getting along with Seb’s parents, and it sometimes felt like a real hurdle in getting to know his love earnestly. When it came to Seb’s childhood, he only knew as much as the raven haired shared with him, and maybe a few more stories from his friends. But, there was nothing from his early childhood, and Marco was hoping to learn more about it from Seb’s parents. It took them some time to get to those awkward stories, but when they sat down for lunch, Mrs. Kruse started to tell them and soon, her husband joined in. Marco felt amused. He was getting to know Seb from a completely different angle, some new things about him that didn’t even seem possible after ten years of being together. But maybe more importantly, as they sat opposite him, the Kruses looked like a couple full of love for each other and their child.

He drove them to his academy right after lunch. It was silent, most of the people enjoying their Sunday and not having the lust to chase a ball. Seb’s idea worked and Marco found very soon groups of friends who were looking for a decent pitch that was surprisingly hard to find in the home of football. Thanks to them and school groups renting the pitch in the mornings, Marco saw the first ray of hope in the dark. If he could get rid of the bad feeling about Cook’s threats, he would have been happy and felt himself on the right track. But that unknown menace lurked in the background and Marco could only hope that it wouldn’t grow and turn into a head-on attack on him.

The Kruses didn’t show any sign of fatigue while he showed them the building and the pitch. They were blown away by how much Marco had accomplished in so little time and they looked at him with honest appreciation. It was a very strange experience and the blond had no clue how to approach it. These two were strangers to him and to receive their compliments was heartwarming. But all throughout the day, there was a distance between them. All of their actions were calculated, they were wary of what they said and did, careful not to hurt the weak bond that had barely started to form between them.

The only thing that really connected them without any overthinking was Keith’s painting. They stood wordless in the middle of the pitch, admiring the images. Marco saw it on a daily basis, but he couldn’t get enough of it. It was beautiful and moving and much more. It was everything he stood for and wanted to achieve with this project and as he glanced at Seb’s parents, he got the impression that they understood some of it through this graffiti.

They stood there for a few minutes and when Marco checked his watch, he saw that it was time to leave for home. He wanted to give Frank Kruse some time to rest before they would go to the city for a dinner. As they walked through the corridor, Marco heard someone rummaging in the equipment room and when he opened the door to check it, he found himself face to face with Keith.

“What are you doing here?” Marco frowned. He could barely stop himself from yelping from his surprise.

“Marco! You scared me.” Keith laughed, putting his hand over his heart. He didn’t look scared, at least not in the way he wanted to put it. Instead, he gave the impression of someone who had been up to something and hadn’t expected to be found out in the middle of it. That was the first striking thing. The second one was the stench ruling in the room that made Marco dizzy.

“Have you been painting or what? And does someone know that you are here?” The blond asked.

He had to lean against the doorframe to stop himself from fainting. The scent of paint was really strong and he had no idea how Keith could exist in this small space without getting dazed by it.

Marco’s heart missed a beat when a frightening thought appeared in his mind. Maybe that was Keith’s aim in the first place. Marco didn’t want to believe him using drugs, but he had to admit that the idea wasn’t so absurd.

“Yeah…” Keith admitted. “I had no idea you would be here. I wanted it to be a surprise.” He shrugged. He stepped back when Marco entered the room. There really was a small painting right behind the door. It was hard to make out what it was depicting, but it was as great as Keith’s outdoor work. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you, but– this is the safest way I can do graffiti.”

“I see.” Marco nodded. “We’ll have to talk about it. You can’t just come in here and make this horrible reek!”

“I was planning to vent.” Keith defended himself.

“You better.” Marco agreed. “But, not right now, okay? Go back to the orphanage, I guess they don’t know that you’ve left. It was hard it enough to make them let you work here, I don’t want any conflicts. Even if you meant well.”

“Yeah, sure.” Keith sighed with a hint of anger in his voice. Marco wanted to call out after him, but he didn’t have the right words to do it. Something must have happened that he was missing and until he didn’t find out what it was, it was better not to say anything to Keith, otherwise he was risking a row.

He was so immersed in his thoughts that he forgot completely about Seb’s parents still watching him. When he finally felt their eyes on him, he shook his head, pushing the questions about Keith’s behavior into the back of his mind and focusing on the two of them. He showed them a constrained smile and was about to suggest that they left when his plans were overthrown again.

“I think I will take a glance at that graffiti again, if you don’t mind, Marco.” Mrs. Kruse said, sensing that her husband wanted a moment on his own with Marco. The blond didn’t get any of it. Looking at Mr. Kruse, he didn’t see any difference in the way he had looked like ever since the morning. Still, he watched impatiently as his wife left and when the door closed behind her, he turned to Marco immediately.

“How much did Seb tell you about our private talk yesterday evening?” He asked without any warm-up.

“Um, I guess most of it.” Marco hesitated. He didn’t know what was going on, but it was clear that he had become the victim of some sort of a plot.

“Did they tell you that we talked about you two adopting a child?” Came the next question.

“Yes.” Marco nodded.

“And I see that it might be more relevant than I have thought.”

“What? I don’t–”

“Oh, please, Marco!” Mr. Kruse snapped at the blond’s clueless expression. “I know that look on your face. The one you had when you looked after this Keith boy. You wanted to understand him, because you care about him a lot, but you don’t know how to let him know it without hurting him. I know what I’m talking about. I’ve had the same look ever since Seb told us that he was gay.” He explained with a sadness in his voice as he recalled the past. Marco was left out of words. To consider himself even just a bit like Frank Kruse seemed ridiculous, and yet, when put this way, there was some truth in it.

“He wouldn’t listen to me.” Marco gave in with a sigh.

“You know what? It might not have seen that way, but I’ve been thinking about your relationship a lot. The way you two live.” Seb’s father started a new confession. Marco’s eyes went wide at the sudden admission. One half of his brain wanted Mr. Kruse to stop at this point, because he knew that what he would hear might hurt him and he might lose his calm, shouting at the older man for not telling Seb anything about it, for being distant when he should have known better and for the years when he was nothing but cold to them. For now though, his other half was stronger and so he remained silent. “When my doctor told me what my chances were, I changed a lot. It’s pathetic, I know, and hard to believe. But in the face of your limits, the imminent end of your life, you reconsider a lot of things. You see clearly what you’ve done wrong and where you should be. Believe me, when I started my life, I didn’t envision this for myself. I guess being a horrible father is tradition in our family, not that it’s any excuse.”

“You’re right, it isn’t.” Marco croaked out, just to mask how much the other one’s confession touched him. Seb never spoke about his father with understanding, and now Marco was getting a glance at the real man, the one fighting with his demons in the deepest pit of his heart.

“I wanted to be a great father, and it started well. Before Seb came out, we got on really well, did you know that?” He asked in despair. He wanted to look like a fallible human being, and not the evil Seb considered him to be. “But when he told us, I couldn’t deal with it. I did things that I regret deeply, but that’s not what angers me the most. I could live with my chasing Seb out of our house.” He said and Marco took a loud breath. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe there was no chance for Seb and his father getting closer again, because the older Kruse really was bloated. “What I will never forgive myself is that I didn’t fight for him. That I didn’t go after him, that I was too weak to put on a fight. Something you can do with ease.” He added after a short pause and the sudden change in his tone warmed Marco’s heart. He had always wondered where had Seb gotten his talent for dealing with people, and his father had seemed like the least likely option, given his history with his own son, but now Marco saw it in a different light.

“You know my son, Marco. You know him more than I do and nothing will change that.” He continued. “And I know that there’s not a single thing you two can’t talk about. He will listen to you. I meant what I said to him, you will be amazing parents, but Seb needs to realize it. He is afraid that he will fuck this up, just like I feared after my father’s example. I’m afraid my soul is beyond help and I don’t have the time to repair my relationship with my son completely. But what is important is that Seb doesn’t commit my mistake. You can stop him.

“You were right, we needed to talk. But I didn’t come here to save myself. I’m here to save my son from impeding himself to have the life he has envisioned for himself. Maybe if I can show him that I’ve changed, he will believe that he isn’t doomed to be a horrible father. But that still isn’t enough. Just like he didn’t admit how much he minded us not getting along, he won’t admit how much he longs for raising a child with you. He is wired that way. But you have the balls not to care about it and go against his apparent will, just like you did with inviting us. It’s egoistic, I know, but please, fight for my son!” He finished.

Marco stared at him in disbelief. He forgot to breathe for a moment as his brain kept mulling over what he had heard. He wanted to accept it as an honest confession, but there was a voice in his head that told him that this was almost too perfectly scripted. Frank told him everything he had hoped to hear, the things that would imply that he had reevaluated his life. Was it even possible that there was not a hint of dishonesty in it? It was equally plausible that Mr. Kruse only knew what Marco wanted to hear, and he had found the perfect way to get what he wanted. That’s how Seb had done things until Marco thought him to be more honest and straightforward. But then, did it really matter if the result would be what Marco – and most probably Seb, too – yearned for?

He felt the older man’s eyes on him, as they urged him into an answer. The only problem was that Marco had no idea what to say.

“I’m sorry I’ve brought that up.” Frank Kruse’s shoulders slumped finally.

“Don’t be!” Marco hastened to say, and now he was sure that he had fallen for a simple mind trick. Amazingly, he didn’t mind it. “Actually, thank you for telling this to me. But I still think it would be for the best if you let Seb know about it. Tell him everything you told me.”

“He will understand it, sooner or later.” He shook his head.

“No.” Marco objected. “That’s not the way we do things! Are you mad at yourself for not fighting for your son? Great! But you’re still not doing it! You are sending others into the battle you should be leading. Your wife, I, we are all just tools for you! You stay in your comfortable nest, far away from Seb, and you expect others to solve your problems for you! You should be ashamed! Do you want to fight? Then fight! But let it be a full battle, don’t remain in the background and drag Seb where you want him to be. I honestly think that you mean well, that your goals are good, but I can’t agree with your means. I can’t help you the way you want me to. Help your son yourself, if you want a better life for him!” Marco snapped and turned around, ready to storm out of the building. He needed a moment alone.

“So that’s it?” Frank called after him. “You deny Seb his happiness because– I can’t even pretend that I understand your reasons.”

“Don’t you dare blame it on me!” Marco spun back, fuming. “I was there for your son whenever he needed me! You can’t tell me that I don’t care about his happiness! I won’t help you, because what you propose is a coward’s way! If we adopt a child, it will be your triumph, and you will sit satisfied with yourself, but it won’t solve any of your problems. Seb still won’t know that you wanted it for him!”

“So the looks matter more than the result?” The old man snorted.

“Honesty matters.” Marco corrected him, giving his words weight. He took Kruse off-guard, it was obvious from his reaction. “And being open. That’s what family is about, in case you have forgotten it.”

He turned around and stormed away. He didn’t look back, he didn’t want to see Frank’s baffled face. He wanted him to stand there, shocked and think about what he had told him. He wasn’t going to be an intermediator. He had brought Seb’s parents here so the three of them can set things right between them. He wasn’t going to do the others’ parts. Sometimes he found his own role hard enough.

He saw the whole situation in a grimmer light now. Maybe there really wasn’t any hope, but still, he wasn’t going to deceive Seb just because it would be easier. He didn’t agree with Frank. Seb was ready to accept him as a caring father, moreover, he probably longed for such a person in his life, and Marco didn’t understand why they would need to keep their true feelings secret.

Suddenly, he had enough of the two of them. He wasn’t in the mood for another dinner with them. In all honesty, he wanted to lock them in a room and not let them out until they got their shit together. It was a funny thought, but immediately, Marco realized why he couldn’t do it.

It would be a coward’s way. Still, he had to make these two stubborn men get that it was up to the two of them to set things right, no one else could do that for them. If only he had Seb’s wits. The younger one would surely have come up with a solution already. He was full of tricks when it came to getting people in the situation they should be in, but Marco wasn’t a fan of those. He was an advocate of talking, but now, he felt that this might be the case when talking wouldn’t suffice.


	49. Changes

The drive home went by in an ice-cold silence. Marco kept his eyes locked on the road and didn’t check his passengers sitting on the backseat, buried in their own thoughts. Mrs. Kruse sensed the tension between them, and she understood that talking about it wouldn’t lead anywhere. She only sent a sympathetic look at Marco when they were getting into the car, but that was it. The blond wasn’t sure if it had been necessary at all. Why would he deny it? He was mad at Frank. He had believed him to have changed, he thought that the older man honestly regretted his mistakes from the past. The truth was that he was still a bitter cuss who was too coward to talk about his emotions. Everything Seb was afraid to become and everything Marco wanted to prevent him from becoming.

His fiancé was already in their home when they arrived. He was getting ready for their dinner with a grin on his face. His eyes shone and he was running up and down a few inches above the ground. He didn’t resemble the lost boy Marco had come to know in him. He believed that he had found his family again, and the blond felt a bitter taste in his mouth when he thought about the crude reality lurking behind the looks. Seb was only misled, he was happy about something that wasn’t real and Marco couldn’t live with that knowledge. He had a sense of fairness all his life, and he was pursuing it at all costs. He had the firm conviction that it was the right way, but it also put him in more uncomfortable and harder situations.

His worries must have sat out on his face, because Seb’s expression changed to a serious one the moment he saw Marco, and he grabbed the first chance to talk with him in private. He pulled the blond with him into their bedroom, closed the door and stood in front of Marco, holding his hands.

“What’s wrong? Did Dad do anything wrong?” He asked, real concern in his voice. At least, he didn’t give the impression of someone ready to kill anyone who had caused Marco’s bad mood.

“No, not exactly.” Marco shook his head. He didn’t want to lie to Seb, but he couldn’t tell him the truth, either. He still felt responsible for the two making up, and he didn’t want to ruin all chance for it. Frank Kruse had set up a scenario where there was no good decision for him, and it only deepened his anger.

“Okay, this wasn’t convincing.” Seb smiled tenderly. His calmness was another testament to his changed opinion on his parents. “Tell me what’s going on. I’d like to know.”

“Right.” Marco sighed. He let go of Seb’s hand and walked over to the bed, sitting down on it. His love followed him from a distance of two steps, but then he squatted down in front of him. “He’s not completely honest, I think. You were right. Not that he said anything particularly wrong or something, but… it seems to me that his own peace of mind is more important to him than your happiness, at least when it comes to his reasons of him suddenly supporting us.”

“I see.” Seb nodded after a long moment of hesitation. There was a world of sadness in his voice and Marco could imagine his whole new world crumble as the veil had fallen away from his eyes. “I’m sorry about it.”

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault.” Marco waved. “But, the important thing is that he finally accepts you, right?” He asked unsure. He wanted a sign that not everything was over.

“No.” Seb shook his head. “This isn’t acceptance. This is chasing an image of me and you. He must think that if he seemingly supports us in everything we want to do, everything will be alright, we will forgive him and he can die with a clear conscience. Typical.” He snorted cynically.

Marco’s heart missed a beat. He didn’t want to hear this tone. It told him that Seb had forgotten about every positive sign from the day before. All progress they had made had vanished into thin air, and they were on the starting point, or maybe even further behind.

“He doesn’t mean bad.” He found himself in the role of the devil’s advocate. He wasn’t even sure, why. No matter how disappointed he was, he couldn’t stand the thought of Seb and his father parting on bad terms. There was a reason why Marco had invited Seb’s parents and he wanted this visit to be fruitful.

“Maybe not,” Seb agreed, “but he can’t do this. I’m not a puppet he can pull any way he wants to. He should know that by now.” He stood up and started to pace up and down. “And to think that I was beginning to trust him…” He shook his head in disbelief.

“Seb!” Marco whined. “Try to understand him! You were so grateful yesterday. And this morning! Let’s explain him why he is wrong, maybe he can change.”

“No, he can’t change, that’s the point!” Seb snapped. “If he gets his way, it will be all about him. When we adopt a kid, it will be his merit, at least in his opinion, and I don’t want that! When we adopt, it should be about us and the kiddos.” He said incessantly. Marco didn’t even have the time to let the realization of Seb talking about _when_ and _kiddos_ sink in. “I will talk to him, don’t worry. He either supports us from the bottom of his heart and without back thoughts. If he can’t do that, it’s his problem.” He shrugged.

Marco was horrified by that cold gesture. He didn’t want this. To him, this was about much more than Seb and his father coming closer. If he wanted to be completely honest with himself, he had his own egoistic reasons, too. He somehow feared that he was also losing Seb. What if his love only proposed to him, because he could only do it with his parents’ support, be it real or supposed? What if he would change his mind and years of waiting would await Marco?

He didn’t get to ask those questions. Seb stormed out of the room and Marco was quick to follow. They rushed down the stairs, and Marco was about to reach after his love with an attempt to stop him and calm him down, when Seb halted on his own. Marco noticed only then that he looked completely calm, but it made the blond even more anxious. Seb was planning something, and Marco had a hunch that it was a bad idea.

“Can we go?” Seb asked from his parents standing in the hall. He was all smiles and he got the car keys.

Marco didn’t understand any of it and now he definitely felt like everything was getting out of control. He couldn’t miss Frank Kruse’s cutting glance as he measured him, searching for signs of what Seb’s and his conversation had been about. Marco steeled himself and he didn’t let his emotions show on his face. This was now Seb’s and his father’s fight, and he didn’t want to have to do anything with it. He hadn’t planned this, and he was accepting his defeat.

“Let them sort it out.” Mrs. Kruse stepped next to him suddenly. She clung onto Marco’s arm as they followed Seb outside. Marco heard the same tiredness in her voice that was tormenting him. His appreciation for her grew. He could only imagine what it had to be like when Seb was still living with his parents. Watching Seb and his father interact during this truce of a sort was bad enough, what was it like during a head-on war? She had the answer, but Marco didn’t want to know it.

They drew downtown, and with every passing second, Marco could feel the gap between Seb and his father get wider. His relationship seemed to be indeed beyond repair. They both had too big egos that stopped them from feeling empathy for each other. The grudges from the past reached too deep and not even the imminence of Frank’s death was going to warm up their hearts for one another. They weren’t going to say goodbye with love when the Kruses would fly back to Germany the next day, and Marco knew it. He only hoped that the evening wouldn’t get too nasty.

He glanced at Seb, and saw how much the younger one was thinking about something. He was devising a plan. He wanted to show Frank Kruse that he wasn’t allowed to do anything he pleased, that Marco and Seb weren’t his toys to play with. Marco reached over the gear and placed his hand on Seb’s thigh, but the raven-haired didn’t react to it. He stared at the windshield, a trap for his father being concocted in his mind.

 

* * *

 

When they entered the restaurant, the plan was finished in Seb’s head. He wasn’t going to take his father’s shit, not anymore. He had been immensely mad when Marco had told him about his talk with Frank, and Seb wanted to teach his father a lesson he wouldn’t forget. He had the perfect idea for it and all the means to carry out his plan. But, as they sat down at their table, and Seb saw the horrible state Marco was in, his determination faltered.

The blond looked worried about whatever Seb was planning. His eyes begged silently for a peaceful dinner and Seb and his father talking their problems out. Seb didn’t care about it at first. His father didn’t care about his feelings, why should he be considerate of him? Frank Kruse came to them, was eating their food, and all that only to get his way and make Seb believe that everything could be alright between them. That was what hurt him the most – that his father didn’t consider him mature enough to see him as an adult capable of discussing things and reaching a common standpoint. No, Frank thought that Seb had to be fooled in order to bury their grudges. Somehow, it felt even more evil than the initial state they were in.

He had all right to be mad and planning a revenge, but something about Marco’s looks touched a deep part in his soul. He knew that this same look had to be in Marco’s eyes ever since they had left their home and drove here. It was the look of powerlessness. Seb didn’t completely understand it. Marco should have understood him. He should have trusted him, that his was the easier way to deal with his father. How could the blond still stick to his ideals and open talks? There were people that didn’t want to hear others out, and Frank Kruse was one of them.

But when Seb opened his mouth to initiate his plan, he couldn’t form a single word. His conscience stopped him. He shot another careful look at Marco, and then closed his mouth. His mother noted the strange act, but didn’t mention it. Seb closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

No, he couldn’t do this. If he acted on his own now, he would have hurt Marco and his mother. He was better than that, or at least, he would have liked to believe it. He smiled and turned to his parents instead.

“I would like to thank you once again that you came here.” He started. Neither of them suspected anything. “I truly appreciate it. I know that I haven’t been a good son, and I often took things too far, imagining you to be worse than you actually were. It hurts me that we don’t have a normal relationship, but I’m to blame as much as you are.”

“It’s okay, Seb.” His father was quick to reassure him. “We made our mistakes, the important thing is that we are here now and can support each other like a true family.” He pulled his wife closer to him. “We are very proud of you and what you have accomplished. I should have told you a lot earlier. You were right, at first, I envied you for all that you had. Dreams, goals, a career, a loving boyfriend.” He glanced at Marco. “It wasn’t right. I mean, why would my son’s happiness trouble me? But, I think I’ve made my peace with it, and I can stand behind you with my whole heart.”

“Can you?” Seb frowned. Marco took a sharp breath as he awaited the developments. Seb reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I’ll be honest, Dad, I can’t believe it. Before you start to convince me,” he raised his hand to stop his father from speaking, “I am not a fool. I know that you can’t just change your mind from one day to another. Yes, maybe you realized a lot of things, but I wonder how much is sincere of the new Frank Kruse? I’d like to believe that all of it, but I doubt that is the case. To me, it still seems like you are playing a role most of the time. It’s just not natural.” He explained

“What?” Frank stammered. “I don’t know what you are talking about?” He asked incredulously, but he shot a cutting glance in Marco’s direction.

“That, for example.” Seb continued calmly. “You are mad at my fiancé just because he stopped your little plan and stood up for something he believes in. He said no to you and you can’t accept it. Dad, that’s not right.” He sighed. He didn’t know why he was even trying to convince the old man. It should have been so much easier to just let go of it and stop worrying about their future. As far as Seb was concerned, he would be equally happy with or without Frank. Just when he formed that thought, he felt that it wasn’t true. He longed for his father’s love. He had done so all his life. “I want you to support us, but I want you to do it without any hidden reasons. It should be pure love and support, you know? Like when we talked about what I could do to help you with your illness. I didn’t want anything in return.”

“I don’t want anything from you!” Frank snapped.

“Oh, really?” Seb objected. “So if I were to tell you that I don’t want to marry Marco in the near future or that we don’t want to adopt kids at all, would you be okay with it? Do you consider us a healthy couple of grown-ups who can make their own decisions, or do you want to control us in every aspect of our lives? Think about it.” He asked his father. “I don’t want conditional love. I don’t want a father who only cares about me when I live the life he had envisioned for me. We have been there already when I was a teenager and I did the exact opposite of what you wished for me. You hated me for it, but in the middle of it all, you didn’t realize that it was exactly what made me happy. Tell me, do you want to go there again?”

“Seb, I–” Frank started, but his voice quavered. “Excuse me.” He stood up and rushed towards the toilettes. Seb stood up to go with him, but his mother stopped him.

“Let me.” She said, without any reprimand in her voice. She let them on their own and walked after her husband.

“You didn’t plan this.” Marco noted. Seb shook his head. “Why did you only talk to him, then?”

“Because that’s what you wanted me to do.” Seb admitted. “I realized that we are engaged now and that if I really want to be your husband, I have to stop acting on my own in these important things. You taught me so much and it’s time I started living by it all the time.” He turned to Marco and wrapped his hand in his own. “I mean it seriously with this whole marriage thing. I want us to be one family, making decisions together and succeeding and failing together. I don’t want to see you sad about what I’ve done anymore. I must learn to contain myself, no matter how upset I might be.”

“Do you really mean it?” Marco’s voice was no more than a whisper. He snuggled close to Seb and put his head on the younger one’s shoulder. “I am so proud of you. You did the right thing here and I’m not saying it because you considered me, too.”

“Do you think that Dad will understand?” Seb asked, unsure about what would come after this. Maybe his honesty wouldn’t pay off. Maybe it really took deceits to mend the relationship of the two of them.

“I don’t know.” Marco admitted. He rubbed Seb’s back. “But I know you wouldn’t be able to enjoy whatever you two might accomplish if you weren’t a hundred percent sure that it was sincere. You told me that last evening. You wanted to know that he really meant what he said. I think after tonight, everything he will do will be honest. And if you get only half as far as you would have gotten with lying, it would be so much worthier, because it will be true.”

“Thank you.” Seb sighed and pulled Marco closer. “You opened my eyes today, and in a lot of different ways. I still have a lot to learn.”

“Both of us need to learn a lot of things.” Marco corrected him. “Marriage is a big step, and it will be different, I think. But, we get along very well, so I don’t think we should be scared of it. We’ve been living together forever, and I can’t imagine my life without you anymore. We will do fine, don’t worry.”

“We better.” Seb pulled back and smiled at Marco. “Otherwise, child control might not grant our wish. We need a really harmonious household for kids.”

Marco’s jaw dropped so hard that he had trouble composing himself again. “W–what? You say it for real? Do you want to–? Do you think that–?”

“There’s no point in waiting, Marco.” Seb confirmed his suspicion. “Let’s go into our real life together, with a kid or two we can take care of.”


	50. The Thunder Strikes

Marco wasn’t sure what he had expected from Seb’s parents’ visit, but when they took them to the airport, he felt unfulfillment. He thought that he could have done more, it didn’t feel right to let Frank Kruse leave like that, barely talking to his own son. Despite Marco’s best efforts, it looked like they were right where they had begun. It was a horrible realization and not even Mrs. Kruse’s many thanks could ease Marco’s doubts. She kept telling him that he had done the right thing, that both Frank and Seb had gotten a lot to think about and that they would speak to each other once they realized a few things, but Marco couldn’t believe that it would be that simple. It was easier for her; she had to keep believing that there was a way towards each other with the two Kruses, but Marco didn’t need that lifeline. He had lost his belief in the loving family he wanted to give Seb. Now, it looked like Marco had to be Seb’s family for starters and they had to work for their own family together.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out.” Marco mumbled as they left the airport.

“It’s not your fault.” Seb hung his head low. “I guess I could have been more patient with Dad, too. But I couldn’t take it. He hadn’t changed, and still, I can’t get rid of the feeling that he meant well.”

“He did,” Marco agreed. “But you know, sometimes, it is hard to guess what you really want. I don’t mean it badly, but when you are not open about your own feelings, I have a hard time figuring out what you need. Just imagine what it must be like for your parents!”

“Yes, I know.” Seb sighed. “I’m making a real effort about it, believe me, but it’s harder than I thought. It feels like there is someone I don’t know somewhere in me. I’ve been living with my ideas of myself for so long that I might be too afraid to face the reality.”

“You always think that you will find something horrible.” Marco shook his head in disbelief. “Let me tell you, you might be pleasantly surprised of what a wonderful human being you are deep in your heart. Just don’t be afraid to let it show. I know that you think that others will exploit it and hurt you, but there will be more people appreciating it than ones misusing you.”

“Right.” Seb said, but Marco sensed a tinge of skepticism in his voice. Seb didn’t voice it, but he was far from accepting Marco’s words the way he had told them. The blond didn’t even expect it; he knew his boyfriend better than that. “Anyways, I want to thank you once again for inviting my folks. Even if it turned out this way. I needed it and you made a real change.”

“Do you really think so?” Marco furrowed his brows.

“Last night, I ran into Dad at home. We talked a little bit and he explained himself. He was still full of himself, but I saw glimpses of his caring about me. It was a real surprise, I must say.”

“So where do you two stand right now?” Marco asked.

“Hard to tell.” Seb shrugged. “I guess I understand him. I don’t agree with his means, but I get why he did what he did. I think what troubles me the most is that he just wants to make up with me at any cost. It isn’t like him at all. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I’m used to him only looking for his own advantage in anything. The way he is ready to do anything, it annoys me. I guess I’m only now realizing how much I want _my_ Dad to come back. It’s fucked up, right?”

“No, it is normal.” Marco reassured him. “But you will really have to talk this out with him. This was only the first step. On one hand, you don’t want him fighting for your acceptance, but on the other hand, you are mad at him, because you think he cares mostly about himself. That’s a bit too much, if you ask me. You don’t give him a real chance if it stays like this.”

“Yes, I know.” Seb rubbed his forehead. “Maybe my first reaction is not to give him a chance because I’m so used to him not being around. But it can’t go on like this. You were right, I have to swallow my pride for us. For myself.”

“I’m proud of you.” Marco said, joy in his voice.

“I’ve also realized another thing. That maybe I will understand Dad better when I’m a father myself.” Seb grinned. Marco was grateful that he was the one driving, so he could hide his excitement behind his concentration on the traffic.

“That’s the only reason why you made your decision?” He teased Seb. “You are an egoist just like your father.”

“Let me finish it!” Seb laughed. “I’ve kept postponing this decision because I wasn’t sure if I was ready. But now I know that the more I wait, the harder it will be. I can’t let my bad experience stop me from a happy future.”

“Good morning!” Marco cried out. “That’s what I’ve been telling you all these years!”

“See? I’ve been listening!” Seb defended himself with an innocent smile Marco couldn’t resist.

“And have you also thought about who we should adopt? I mean, are you thinking of a baby or a bigger kid?” Marco asked nervously, barely able to compose himself. There was a huge lump in his throat and everything had become silent around him. He could feel his own heartbeat in every cell of his body and the world was turning around much quicker all of a sudden.

“Marco, please!” Seb gave him an exhausted look. “We both know that _you_ have been thinking about a particular kid. Two particular kids, to be precise.”

“Is it that apparent?” Marco smiled under his nose.

“No, it’s even worse.” Seb laughed. “But it’s okay, there must be a reason you ran into them.”

“And what do you think of them?” Marco asked, his spirits revived after his moment of terror when he had been awaiting Seb’s answer. This was an equally important question, but Marco was sure that Seb would give him an answer he would be satisfied with. He erred.

“I don’t know.” Seb shrugged, as if this wasn’t a really important matter. “You know them better than I do.”

“Oh my god, you are right!” Marco cried out and in the moment of his realization, he yanked the steering wheel, almost maneuvering them into a different lane. The loud and angry sound of horns jarred him back to reality.

“Are you done trying to kill us?” Seb asked in the same untouchable manner. If Marco hadn’t known him better, he would have been amazed how the younger one managed to keep his cool. But, he knew that behind that tough façade, there was a myriad of doubts Seb wanted to veil.

“I’m sorry. But you just said the single most important thing!” Marco explained passionately. “You are right, you barely know Ronnie and Keith. I keep talking about them, but I forget how little you really talked to them and how little time you have spent together. I wonder if there is a way to change that…” He mused out loud. He wasn’t really thinking, he only uttered the question so that Seb would start thinking and come up with the solution. But this time, the raven-haired didn’t look moved by the challenge.

“Marco, if you think that they are special, that’s enough for me. And I’ve seen what Keith is capable of. The guy is a born talent, he can’t let it go to waste, something that will probably happen once the state lets him walk away. Seriously, what chance do boys like him stand? Just because they are grown-ups, it doesn’t mean that they can stand on their own.” He spoke with such vehemence that Marco was sure that he had been mulling over the boys’ situation more than he would admit.

“I know.” Marco nodded. “And I can already see how much trouble you two could cause me. You will get along perfectly, and I know that you will be the good father, leaving me with the role of the horrible dictator.”

“That’s some accusation!” Seb laughed. “If I want to be honest, I guess I would be so afraid of parenthood that I wouldn’t let our kids do anything so that I won’t fuck it up.”

“Oh no, Seb, you are very wrong.” Marco shook his head. He let it at that, but he knew he had to do something about their adoption application. He didn’t want to act behind Seb’s shoulder, but he also knew that if he didn’t take his chance right now, Seb might come to change his mind and it would take him long weeks or months to persuade him again. There had to be a way…

 

* * *

 

He kept thinking the whole day, but he couldn’t come up with anything. The fact that he had to finish calculating the academy’s budget for the upcoming months didn’t make his job easier, either. He had gotten better at it, but he still had to focus on it completely so he wouldn’t make a mistake at every addition. Their situation was still far from ideal, but at least he now saw the end of the tunnel. They could survive even without Cook’s money and the little amount Marco was planning to invest in promotion at schools and local neighborhoods could pay off.

There was still no word from the businessman, although a few days have passed since his deadline. Marco started to believe that it had been nothing more than empty threats indeed, but deep in his heart, he couldn’t relax completely. There had been something about Cook’s looks that made him wary. He didn’t have any illusions about what the man was capable of, either. He was a ruthless businessman, a self-made man, someone who had started with nothing and while he still might not have had the biggest business in the country, he couldn’t complain about his fortunes. Not anyone could have done it, and a man capable of climbing up the ranks also knew how to crush someone, a tiny bug like Marco had to be in his point of view.

He underscored the most important figures before he put away the papers in his top drawer. He gave himself a moment to appreciate what he had accomplished here. It was still unbelievable to him. Cook was right, there had to be a way to run an academy like this better, but Marco didn’t care about it. This was their academy, Jerry and he had created it, and the kids had made their mark on it, too. The whole thing was a quick learning process. Marco had to realize that some things worked very differently from what he had envisioned, but he didn’t have any other choice than to adjust. He was savoring every moment of it. It had taken him long to figure out what to do with his life after retirement, but once this idea cropped up in his mind, he knew that it was the right one and he wasn’t disappointed. This academy was everything he had imagined and he felt accomplished. Maybe even more than during his active career.

He stood up and stretched his limbs a little bit after hours of sitting. He still had some time before the group of kids from the orphanage would arrive. He was looking forward to training. Sometimes, he joined the boys and fooled around with them, kicking the ball and letting them take it away from him, because the wide smiles on their faces was all the reward he could wish for. He loved them, and they loved coming here. It was something that couldn’t be measured and a kind of justification that the likes of Cook would never understand, but to Marco it was everything.

He stepped out of the office and as he found himself on the corridor, he heard another door being closed. He turned to right and saw Keith coming out of the storage room. Marco shook his head disapprovingly. He hadn’t quite forbidden Keith to do his graffiti inside the building, but he hadn’t quite allowed it, either. He was happy that the teenager had agreed to work here, and that he apparently enjoyed it, but Marco couldn’t let him feel himself completely at home. He needed to set up a few rules, otherwise Keith would surely try to exploit the situation and do whatever he pleased.

“Painting again?” Marco addressed him with a chatty tone. Keith spun around. He must have thought that he was on his own, because he didn’t look pleased about the company. His features went rigid immediately and he cruised past Marco.

“Not everything in my life has to be about it, you know.” Keith groused and he slowed down just enough to bump into Marco.

The blond didn’t understand any of it. He only stood there and watched as Keith walked down the corridor and bolted out the building. Marco didn’t see anything wrong about what he had told Keith, but it still was enough to make the teenager angry. He would have liked to go after Keith, but it would have only made things worse and the kids from the orphanage had arrived anyways. They ran past Marco joyfully, greeting him politely and rushing into the locker room so they could get on the pitch as soon as possible.

A few minutes later, they were all in the backyard, doing some warmup exercises. Jerry was instructing the boys to get their form right and Marco was walking among them, too, showing them how exactly to stretch their muscles the most, putting their hands in the right position, just like he always did. Still, it wasn’t like always. Somehow, Marco felt like there wasn’t a sign of the usual connection between the boys and him. It was stupid. He only felt so because of his misunderstanding with Keith, that had to be it. He had problems getting along with one big kid, and it was enough to convince him that he was a hopeless case when it came to working with children.

He put his doubts in the back of his mind and he focused on the training, but still, that strange feeling crept up on him over and over again, whenever he caught a stolen glance from one boy or another. He even considered that he might have something on his face, but Jerry surely would have warned him. And his colleague noticed the change too, but he didn’t let it show apart from a knowing look sent in Marco’s direction. Something wasn’t right, and Marco wanted to find out what it was.

This time, the solution found him. After training and the boys showering, he was standing in the academy’s entrance, like always. All children seemed to have left, but the van still didn’t drive off. Marco went inside to check if really everyone was gone, and he found Ronnie standing in front of his office’s door, swinging from one foot to the other.

“Ronnie! Hurry up, they will leave you here otherwise!” Marco walked to him and put his hand on the boy’s nape. He immediately sensed that Ronnie wanted to tell him something. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you.” Ronnie said, biting down on his lips. “I don’t want the boys to think that I am a telltale.”

“Ronnie, what is going on? If it is important, you should tell me.” Marco crouched down. “Has something happened? Did someone hurt you or anyone else?”

“No.” Ronnie shook his head. He avoided looking straight at Marco and it made the blond all the more worried. “It’s about Tommy.” He blurted out. Marco’s heart sank in his chest. So this was Cook’s vengeance. He was using his son to bully the other kids. Anger rose in Marco. “He said something bad about you.”

“What?” Marco snapped. He hadn’t expected this.

“Well, nothing exactly. Just that his dad thinks that it’s not safe for us to be around you. That you shouldn’t be spending so much time with us. That you might want to– I know it is not true, but–”

Ronnie didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t have to. Marco’s whole body was shaking with powerlessness. He would have come up with a plan if Cook decided to attack his academy directly, but such a sneaky and odious intrigue caught Marco off-guard. He had no idea what to do about it. He had feared something similar right from the start, it was the same thinking that had stopped parents from bringing their kids in the first place, and yet, now as he was facing it, Marco had no clue what to do about it.

“But it is not true, Marco!” Ronnie started to console him. “We all know it! Just please, don’t be mad at Tommy. He is good.”

“I don’t blame him.” Marco sighed. “I will have to talk to his father, but I know that he didn’t come up with this idea. And please, be sure that there’s not a single bit of truth in what he said. I have never thought about harming any of you in any way. I could never do that.” He didn’t know why he felt the urge to defend himself against such a ridiculous lie.

“I know, Marco.” Ronnie nodded. “And no one will really believe it, right?” He asked, but he was looking for reassurance and not trying to ease Marco’s mind.

“Right.” Marco sighed, but he didn’t believe it himself. He knew that Cook used the only thing that could really ruin him. If word about this got out, even if only in the city, there was no telling how much it would harm Marco and Seb, too.

“I’ve got to go.” Ronnie mumbled.

“Yes, right.” Marco was brought back to reality. “Thank you for telling me, you did the right thing.” He let go of the boy and Ronnie started to run to the entrance. “Ronnie!” Marco called after him. The boy turned around. “Might Keith know about this? I don’t know, he has been acting strangely lately, and maybe he thinks that I–” He let it hang in the air.

“I don’t think so.” Ronnie shook his head. “He is always like this before free weekends. I really have to go now, Marco! See you!” He waved and disappeared behind the door.

Marco wanted to keep himself up, but he couldn’t do it. His legs buckled and he sat down on the floor, wrecked. He needed to save everything he had just built and he didn’t have a good chance of winning.


	51. What Now?

It took him about five minutes to pull himself together. Jerry sensed that something wasn't right, but he also understood that this wasn't the time to ask questions. He stopped above Marco and sent him a long and sympathetic glance, and then carried on doing his usual afternoon errands at the academy.

Marco was just sitting on the corridor floor, swallowing back tears he couldn't shed. Not right now. He needed to get to the coziness of his home. He needed to feel safe, and ideally, he needed to lean against Seb and weep silently on his shoulder.

He picked up his things and left in a hurry, driving through the city in a mad and haphazard way. He somehow still managed to arrive safe and sound. As he locked his car and jumped up the stairs leading to their front porch, he could mumble only one prayer: Please, let Seb be inside!

He couldn't have taken the stillness of the house on his own. As he entered the hall, he froze in his place and held his breath back to be able to hear the slightest sound Seb was making. Seven nerve-wrecking seconds later the armchair in the younger one's workroom creaked and Marco let out a sigh of relief. His whole body was shaking as he tossed his bag onto the floor and walked on wobbly legs towards the back rooms of their home.

He usually knocked, not to catch Seb off-guard. The raven-haired could get lost in his work easily and Marco respected that. Not today. He needed to find comfort. He barely had the strength to press down on the door handle and push the door open. He slipped inside and rushed over to his partner, nearly collapsing on his way.

Seb looked at him surprised for a split second, but it soon turned into concern. He reached for the remote control and paused the match he was watching. He hauled himself off and squatted down next to the blond who had curled himself up into a ball on the rough carpet.

"Babe, what is going on?" Seb asked in a voice of pure care.

Marco opened his mouth to explain, but he was unable to utter a single sound. Whenever he took a breath to speak up, a heartfelt sob escaped his lips and a teardrop rolled down his cheeks. Seb leaned forward and embraced him. Marco locked his arms around his strong shoulder blades, holding onto them as if dear life itself, as if it was his only lifeline. In a way, it was. Only Seb could keep him safe in this new storm fate was throwing at him.

"Did something happen at the academy?" Seb asked again, his voice soothing. His chest vibrated as he spoke and it calmed Marco down just enough to be able to croak out a few words.

"Cook doesn't give up." Strangely enough, as he said it, it was as if a heavy weight had been taken off his shoulders. He could breathe more freely now and his tears stopped.

Seb held him close and Marco pulled strength from it to slowly explain what had happened. He almost threw up just by thinking about it and the expression of terror sitting out on Seb's face spoke of similar feelings. It changed the next second, first into boundless anger and then unswerving determination. He sprang up and started to pace up and down, fuming and scratching the back of his head. His every step echoed in Marco's mind as if a hammer was hitting on hard steel and when Seb finally stopped, the blond sensed what conclusion he had drawn.

"Oh, no!" Marco objected, even though there wasn't anything apparent he could protest against. "You are not going to let me here, Sebastian Kruse. You won't drive away to find Cook and get your revenge." He was reminded of a similar situation from years ago when he had lain on the floor of their house in Dortmund after Erik had hit on him. Seb had left him back then, but now, it would be different, Marco knew it. They both had grown and Seb had just recently shown that he meant their engagement not only a formality, but also a promise to stick together and deal with hardships together.

Still, Marco's heart missed a beat when Seb cursed under his breath and sat down next to him, snaking an arm around Marco's shaking shoulder.

"So what should we do now?" He asked. He stared in front of himself as he willed his emotions to ebb.

"That's what I wanted to ask you, too." Marco snorted. "We can't do much, right? We only have the word of a boy against a prominent local businessman."

"Well, looking at it objectively, it isn't as bad as it could be." Seb said calmly.

"Excuse me?" Marco snapped. He pulled away and looked at Seb with disbelief. "Cook had just accused me of molesting schoolboys and you tell me it's not that bad? Are you out of your mind?"

"I've said it could be worse." Seb repeated. "Look," he started to explain with a sigh, "if you want to say something nasty about a gay running a football academy, him crossing a line with the boys is kind of the first thing that comes to mind." Seb said, but with so much detachment as if he was mulling over a purely hypothetical scenario. "The fact that Cook chose the same shows us that he doesn't have anything worse against you."

"It's still bad enough."

"But it's not true." Seb shook his head. "The kids know that, Marco. Whatever Cook plans on doing, it will die. He can't press this issue, because it is based on a lie. A more formal attack will lead to thorough inquiries and he is lost there. He can't turn it into a real investigation because he will come out of it in a bad light. His only hope is that he can somehow undermine the trust of the parents sending their kids to your academy."

"That's what I'm afraid of, too." Marco snapped. He was looking forward to more concrete plans and tips from Seb. "But what am I supposed to do? Call every one of them? Hey, your son might tell you that one boy at the academy says I've molested him, but don't believe him."

"Yes, it was stupid, you are right." Seb admitted with his head hanging low.

At first, Marco didn't know what to make out of his boyfriend's reaction. Maybe Seb was too caught up in his own job to really care about his problem? No, it couldn't be. Marco would not believe it. No matter how stormy Seb's own life was, he never hesitated to come to Marco's help when the blond needed it.

Then, it dawned on him. Seb was as overcome by the news as he himself had been. He didn't have a clue what they should or could do about this level of human malice. For the first time since Marco had come to know him, Seb was powerless. They were facing something that either of them could defend against. But maybe it wasn't meant to be. Maybe this challenge came at a time when both of them were supposed to deal with it, together.

"But they probably won't believe it anyways, right?" Marco finally asked in his despair. He couldn't miss how similar he sounded to Ronnie. In the face of Cook's plot, they all were like defenseless children.

"I don't know." Seb admitted it. His sticking to reality and not making things any better than they were was a quality Marco usually admired, but not this time. He would have liked to be reassured and if it also meant to be lied to, so be it. "People are full of prejudice." He shrugged. "But maybe- maybe you don't have to persuade all of them." He spoke with more positivity now and as Marco glanced at him, he saw a bright twinkle in his eye. He finally had an idea and he looked the old Seb again: ready to act, taking matters into his own hands, refusing to give in to his fate.

"What do you mean?" Marco furrowed his brows.

"As long as the orphanage keeps sending the kids to the academy, everything is fine." Seb explained with the certainty of someone devising a winning battle plan. "They are under constant scrutiny, they have to conform to countless regulations and rules where they let the orphans spend their after-school free time. If they don't stop trusting you, I think the parents won't question your credibility either, and this rumor will remain as such."

"So you say that I should talk to Mrs. Green?" Marco asked just to be sure. He wasn't comfortable with the idea. He certainly wasn't on the old lady's list of favorites and bringing up such a delicate topic wouldn't change his prospects.

"It would be a good start." Seb nodded. "Until we come up with something else." He stood up and set his T-shirt right. "I'll drive." He announced and Marco shook his head at that.

"What?"

"I'm coming with you." Seb said, not leaving any place for objection. "If we start off right away, we might catch her in the orphanage."

With that, he was on his way to the hall and Marco followed him grunting. This didn't sound like a safe plan, but it was the best they had.

 

* * *

 

Seb drove through the city in a much more composed way than Marco would have been capable of. The blond instructed him on which turns to take, but they were mostly silent, buried in their own thoughts. Marco went over different possibilities of how his talk with Mrs. Green could look like, but none of them seemed to be one he would gladly take. This was going to be a hard talk and he wasn't going to get away with it with his position intact.

"Thank you for not going away." He finally croaked out just so their conversation would stop him from asking Seb to turn around.

"Thank you for making me stay." Seb answered with a half smile. He reached over the gear and squeezed Marco's thigh. "You were right, I was going to kill Cook. It still might come to that..."

"Seb, please." Marco sighed. There was no seriousness in his boyfriend's words, but he was still afraid that Seb would make something stupid. Cook probably waited for a provocation so he could capitalize on it, Marco saw it now that the first wave of shock had receded. They needed to keep a cool head and outsmart the businessman.

"Okay, I promise, I will hold myself back. I'm just mad that he wants to hurt you." He explained, his declaration touching Marco's heart.

"Do you ever feel like all the hate just won’t stop?" Marco asked the single question that had been on his mind ever since Ronnie had told him about Cook's ploy.

"I don't know." Seb sighed earnestly. "I mean, everybody has it hard. Life can get shitty, and not only for us. Be it hate or any other hardship, we all get our fair or unfair share of it. All we can do is carry on and get stronger. Stupid fans or people like Cook can try to upset us, but what does it matter at the end of the day?

"When I was getting ready for the Liverpool game, I was afraid. I had no idea what to expect and I feared that it would get really nasty. But, ever single evening, when I went to bed and you were there to cuddle with me, I knew that it was nothing. I had all I really needed and nothing could take it away from me, as long as I didn't lose it myself."

"Wow." Marco gaped. Now that the words echoed in his mind, he didn't know what to say. Whatever he would reply, would diminish the effect of Seb’s words.

"We will get through this, don't worry." Seb finally reassured him, and Marco believed him. "We will find a way and Cook will see that he can't ruin you."

"It would be great." Marco smiled, his heart lighter. He looked out the car window and took in the still warm autumn sunshine. Yes, there had to be a way past this hardship, just like there always had been before.

They arrived at the orphanage relatively early in the afternoon. Marco jumped out of the car, ready to act. If he needed to swallow the frog of talking to Mrs. Green to save his academy, he was going to do it. He didn't care about what he would look like, because he saw only what the academy represented. Cook didn't attack him, but the opportunity for these troubled kids to forget about their problems and lose themselves in the joy of football. Marco wasn't fighting for himself only, but for that dream, too.

Seb followed him closely as they entered the huge building. Marco knew his way around and he didn't wait for a worker to welcome them and see them to the offices. A few kids watched them in awe, recognizing not only Marco, but also Seb. It was still new to the blond. In Dortmund, he was the big thing, even after his retirement, and Seb had to suffice with the role of someone staying in the shadows - not that he had ever had problems with that. In Manchester - at least in the red half of it, it all changed. To these people crazy about United, Seb was the really interesting sight and Marco got only second glances, the way one would look at a memento of former greatness. It was sobering and relaxing at the same time.

Mrs. Green wasn't alone in her office. As Marco and Seb got to the end of the tight corridor, they could hear the muffled sounds of a heated discussion going on inside. The blond recognized the voices immediately and his heart clenched with new horror, but this one, he couldn't understand.

"It's for two days for fuck's sake!" Keith snapped. His voice was as clear as if he had been staying right next to Marco, and the blond could only imagine what volume the teenager must have utilized against the old lady who answered him in her raspy voice.

"I advise you to watch your tongue, young man." She tried to sound calm, but her voice resonated with contained anger and it wasn't a promising prospect for Marco. "I've made my decision, and it is going to stay this way. You are not to be trusted, and you have shown it on countless occasions in the past. I would like to see some evidence that you have changed, but I can't say that."

"You don't even look!" Keith snorted accusingly. Marco knew that tone all too well. "You despise me! You wouldn't give credit to me even if I were the apostle of love and goodness!"

"You are far from being that," Mrs. Green hit back with a sense of finality in her voice. Marco could imagine her sending a dismissive look at Keith. The teenager would surely fight with it for a moment, maybe towering over the sitting old lady, but he would give in at the end.

"Come on, Keith, let's get back to your room." A third, more tender voice joined in the conversation. Sue.

Marco heard footsteps approaching from the office and felt Seb pulling him back. He hadn't realized that he had practically been pushing his ear against the door the whole time.

The next second, Keith stormed past them, not even spotting them. Sue reacted differently. She halted on the threshold as she measured the two men standing in front of her. She scanned both of their faces.

"Marco! What are you doing here?" She inquired, whispering. She pulled the door almost shut behind her.

"Hello, Sue! I need to speak with Mrs. Green. Could I do it now?" Marco answered without going into details. The bomb would explode anyways soon and everyone in the orphanage would know about the newest developments. He didn't want to go through the same explanation twice. Talking with the obnoxious director was going to be bad enough, even with the certainty that Sue would take his side.

"Um, I'm not sure this is the best time." Sue bit down on her lip. "She is rather– upset."

"I understand it," Marco nodded. "But it's important."

"A moment." Sue lifted her finger and she turned around, stepping back into the office. "Mrs. Green, Mr. Reus is here to see you. Could he come in?"

Marco didn't hear the answer, but it took very long for Mrs. Green to make up her mind. Maybe she needed to think a little bit about who exactly Mr. Reus was. When Sue emerged again, she smiled at him, and left the door open for him.

"Good luck!" She whispered as she walked past Marco, heading for the living quarters of the orphans.

"Should I go with you?" Seb put a hand on Marco's shoulder.

The blond spun around and smiled at his partner. "No, thank you. I need to do this alone. Mrs. Green is a bit complicated, and I know how to deal with her." He explained. Seb's eyebrow ran up his forehead, as if he didn't quite believe the blond, but he accepted his wish.

"Okay. I'll wait for you here." He let go of him.

Marco nodded, quickly checked his looks and stepped into the spacy office that suddenly felt like a lion's den.


	52. The Plea

"Good afternoon!" Marco greeted Mrs. Green. The director of the orphanage stood next to the open window, lighting a cigarette. She blew the smoke outside, but the reek of the burning paper hit Marco's nose and turned his face into the expression of disgust. He hated that smell, but he was sure it wasn't the right time to point that out.

"How can be of help to you, Mr. Reus?" She didn't show much interest in Marco, she didn't even look at him.

"Well, um, I'm not really sure how to start... it is about a rather delicate topic." Marco stammered. He had never had a plan to bring the news to Mrs. Green. Ideally, he would have liked to make this talk as little personal as possible, but now that he was forced to talk to the old lady's back, he wished she turned around and they could talk like two adults.

"I would advise you to keep it simple and clear." She spun around, leaning against the windowsill. She put one arm on her breast and held the cigarette close to her mouth with her other hand.

"Okay." Marco nodded. He took an unsure step forward and rested his hands on the back of a chair. She didn't invite him to sit down, and his legs were giving up already. "I came to know about a rumor that I think you should be aware of." He explained. Mrs. Green didn't show the slightest hint of curiosity.

"You have to understand the backstory of it. My academy was looking for sponsors and donors. A local businessman volunteered to support our cause financially and our cooperation was fruitful at the beginning. But, it came to a misunderstanding when he wanted to take a bigger part in the everyday matters of the academy. I politely accepted his help, but refused his ideas. He didn't take it well and he swore to avenge himself on the academy.

"At first, I believed it to be an empty threat, but it seems that he was serious. His son is one of our pupils, and through him, he started to spread this rumor. I have no evidence of course, but there is no other explanation for it. Today, Ronnie told me what is going on, what the boy is talking about, and I felt compelled to inform you about it."

"What is the rumor, Mr. Reus?" Mrs. Green croaked out, losing her patience.

Marco gulped. So far, the talk went surprisingly well, mostly because he was doing all the talking, and he wisely avoided addressing the hardest part. He couldn't do it anymore. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, but his voice let him down until he gulped again.

"I can assure you that there's not a tiny bit of truth to it and that it really is only about vengeance for a personal offense." He tried to buy himself some time, but Mrs. Green's look assured him that he should cut the meandering. "Okay. He accused me of molesting the boys." He said to the floor.

A heavy silence fell over the room and the temperature fell with a few degrees. Cold shivers ran up and down Marco's spine as he waited for the verdict. He counted the seconds, each of them making his heart sink deeper. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He was on the verge of breaking down and he needed to know what Mrs. Green's reaction was.

She stood like a statue, her face completely unreadable, a bit of ash falling from her cigarette onto the carpet. She stared at Marco, but something about her eyes told the blond that she didn't see him. It was the worst possible scenario. If she had shouted at him, Marco could have understood it, and he would have taken it. But this silence was getting on his nerves.

"Of course, you can investigate it if you would like to..." He stammered.

"We'll do." She nodded, her voice cold and impassionate even for her, which was saying something.

"It is a very uncomfortable situation for me, but I needed to tell you, I hope you understand." Marco was desperate to find some empathy. He needed to be sure that his reasons were understood and not mistaken.

"Thank you, Mr. Reus." She still didn't look him in the eyes. "You can go now. We will investigate the matter and talk to the boys. Until then, they won't visit your facility."

"What?" Marco gaped. He thought his ears deceived him. "I can assure you that it's only hateful spite. The boys are safe at our academy and there wasn't any sort of-"

"It has to be done." She raised her hand and tossed the cigarette out the window. "I would be very pleased if you also made an effort to clear your name. The best possible outcome would be if you could talk to this businessman. Rumor or not, we need to make sure that your academy is a place where our orphans can safely go."

"It is!" Marco shouted, surprised at his own reaction.

"That's for us to decide." Mrs. Green kept her calm. "Goodbye, Mr. Reus." She dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

Marco opened his mouth to protest, but he didn't have the strength anymore. He stumbled towards the door with his head hanging low. The whole world was turning and he wasn't sure he would make it out of the office. Still, when he reached the door and he put his hand on the handle, he turned back.

"You don't believe it, do you?" He whispered, but Mrs. Green still heard him.

"It's not my place to believe. I have to make sure." She ground out. "Goodbye!"

Marco knew better than to try his luck even more. He stepped out of the office and took a deep breath. He thought that the air outside would be better, but the corridor seemed to be as suffocating as the director's office had been. The walls were too close to him. But worst of it, Seb was nowhere to be seen.

Marco tumbled on, holding onto the wall to guide him. He didn't meet anyone, but he could hear the constant buzz of a bunch of kids from upstairs. He closed his eyes after every few step to gather new strength for the next few painful meters. His mind was in shambles, he was unable to form a single thought. All that existed for him was the crushing pain in his chest and the loneliness he felt.

As he got closer to the foyer, he realized that the voices of children didn't come from upstairs, but from here. He stopped at the corner and took a look at what was going on.

Seb stood in the middle of a circle of young kids reaching out a paper to him. He smiled at them, and gave out autographs, talking leisurely with them, as if everything was alright.

For some peculiar reason, Marco felt a surge of rage. His whole life was about to be ruined, and Seb was simply carrying on, as if everything was fine. He couldn't care about Marco. He couldn't be bothered to stay where he had promised he would wait and he took the first chance to stop worrying about Marco's future.

The sudden anger vanished as quickly as it came, when Seb looked up from the kids and caught a glimpse of Marco. His expression changed immediately and he tried to put an end to the haphazard signing session. It was in vain. The kids were eager and they talked all at the same time, drowning out Seb's voice. Seeing this, the raven haired started to work double as quickly.

Marco stayed at the corner. He had to stop himself from crying. He couldn't bear the sight of life being normal to others, not when he was in the middle of a crisis. He envied the kids their happiness, their life lacking any problems, even though he knew that these kids' lives were far from ideal. He slid down to the floor, his back to the wall and he buried his face in his hands. He didn't know how long he was sitting there like that, it could have been only a minute but also hours.

"We can go now." Seb's voice. On every other occasion, it would have warmed Marco's heart, but now, it wasn't enough to cut through the horrible coldness that surrounded him.

He stared in front of himself without seeing anything. He felt two arms wrapped around him that lifted him on his feet. He almost collapsed immediately, but Seb caught him.

"Let's go, okay?" Seb whispered tenderly.

They were halfway through the hall when a joyful voice stopped them.

"Marco!" He heard someone running towards them.

"Look, I've drawn it today!" It was a little boy. His eyes were shining and he didn't seem to notice that something was wrong with Marco. "Look, there's you and Jerry and-" He explained, pointing at every figure one by one, but Marco cut him short.

"Later, Jeremy." He croaked out. He wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.

"Yes, but it is our team here and we are–" The seven-years-old continued as if Marco's comment had eluded his attention.

"I said later!" Marco snapped, his outburst echoing in the room.

Jeremy gulped, folded the paper and ran away, fighting with his tears. It finally started Marco's stream of tears and he started to shake. He wanted to go after the boy and apologize to him, but Seb stopped him mid-turn.

"Come on, you can explain to him later." He said. "He will understand. Let's get you home now."

"It's over, Seb! Everything is over!" Marco whined.

"No, it is not." Seb said with certainty. "We will fight back and we will win, okay?"

He opened the car door for Marco and the blond got in, not even sure, how. He was still crying and had to swallow back the bile piling up in his throat. He was cold and he wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball in the safety of their home.

Seb didn't ask anything, maybe it was superfluous. To him, everything that had been going on in Mrs. Green's office was written over Marco's face. He focused on the road and taking them home, but the few glances at him Marco risked told him that Seb's mind was racing and he was struggling with his emotions for a different reason than Marco. He had to talk himself off from visiting Cook and Marco knew how hard it was for him.

They didn't speak much once at home, either and Marco only poked the dinner Seb prepared for him. He couldn't eat, every small bit he swallowed threatened to make an immediate second appearance. Seb still didn't say a thing, but his look got more and more concerned. Marco knew that it was stupid. He should have trusted his own fiancé. This was going to be a much easier talk than the one he had with Mrs. Green, but he was in no mood to start it. He should have called his parents too, to let them know what was going on, but it seemed equally hard. They couldn't help them anyways. Maybe not even Seb could.

When he finally finished his lost battle with the dinner, he stood up without a word and stumbled into the living room, hiding under a warm blanket. He closed his eyes and prayed like never before in his life. He wasn't really religious, but in such moments of utter despair, there wasn't a man in the world who wouldn't believe in a higher being who could make their problems vanish in a split second. It was a beautiful image and Marco would have given everything for it to be true.

He heard Seb walking up and down in the house like a shadow, but the younger one didn't trouble him. Marco was grateful and angry at him at the same time. He wanted some time alone, but he also knew the thinking behind Seb's actions. With his forward-looking mind, Seb always made sure to talk with Marco when the blond was in the state of taking action and admitting that there was a chance for things to get better. Right now, that state seemed far away. Marco wasn't even sure he would ever get there. He needed Seb to help him move on, he couldn't fight his inner battle alone. And yet, he knew that only he could fight it.

The feeling was familiar, and it should have made it easier, but it was on the contrary. Marco felt the same coldness he experienced after his coming out, there was the same hopelessness and hate in the world. He had dealt with it once before and he had won, but still, this right now felt different. Back in Dortmund, he had the support of all his friends, the fans and almost the entire city. Here in Manchester, he was alone. He couldn't discuss this problem with anyone outsider. He feared that with that, he would only release something much more horrible and sooner or later Cook's accusations would get public.

No, he was alone.

He tossed the blanket off himself, it was useless anyways. He still shivered. He turned on his other side and saw a cup on the coffee table. He frowned and sat up. He reached for the beverage and took a sip of it. It was tea, almost cold by now, but it still was enough for him, because he knew what it meant. That he wasn't alone.

He stood up and walked over to Seb's work room. He heard the muffled sound of a TV commentator and saw the flashes of green under the door. Seb was working, writing reports, burying himself in his job to get a clear head. Marco smiled sourly and knocked on the door.

"Can I come in?" He asked, stepping inside.

"Yes, sure." Seb nodded and paused the recording. It was almost half-time in the game, but Marco saw that all his papers were empty, the pen in Seb's hand mostly a decoration right now.

"I want to apologize for how I've been acting. I know that you do everything you can to support me and I've been ungrateful." He started.

"Marco, it's okay." Seb nodded. He stood up and offered Marco the only chair in the room. The blond shook his head and sat down on the floor instead. Seb followed his example.

"Gosh, did I really shout at a kid?" Marco shook his head in disbelief.

"Don't worry about it for now." Seb reassured him. "It happens to all of us. You lost your temper and it's completely understandable."

"Yes, but Jeremy-" Marco's voice quavered. "He doesn't have to do anything with this all. I should have known better."

"Marco, you had your all problems. You are not going to ruin his world with it. You will make it up to him." Seb put his hand on Marco's knee. "I'm sorry I wasn't waiting for you at the office, but those kids turned up out of nowhere and I thought it was for the better if you could hide from them in case– things went wrong."

"Yes, I know." Marco nodded, brooding over Seb's words. Things did go wrong. Horribly wrong. "Mrs. Green wants to investigate it all. They will probably ask all the boys about what's true of it."

"They will only find out that you are an amazing man trying to help some orphans." Seb said with shallow happiness in his voice. Marco smiled for a second.

"Even if they do... the kids won't look at me the same way ever again. Also today... when I touched them during training, they wanted to pull away." Marco recalled, almost breaking down in tears again.

"I don't know, Marco." Seb sighed. "I think that it's easier with kids. They can forget such things much easier than grown-ups. They know what the truth is and they don't care about anything else. They don't understand why anyone would lie, not on this level."

"Yes, maybe you are right." Marco sniffled. "But if it is so... won't they hurt Tommy because of it?"

"Look at you!" Seb laughed, shaking his head. "You are the most worried about the son of the one who caused this all."

"Tommy has nothing to do with this!" Marco roared.

"I know, Marco." Seb said more tenderly. "I didn't mean to mock you. I'm just in awe over you."

"What?" Marco stammered, not understanding any of what Seb was saying.

"Not many would have the reason to differentiate between Cook and his son. You are amazing for being able to do that." Seb explained. Marco looked him deep in the eyes, but there was nothing but seriousness in it.

"Thank you." Marco mouthed and they remained silent for a long moment. "What now?"

"We must wait." Seb announced. "There's not much we can do. I suppose the kids won't go to the academy until this matter is closed..." Marco nodded.

"Not the other kids. And their parents will surely start to ask questions." He imagined what would await him.

"You can tell them that there are some sick kids in the orphanage and you don't want their kids to catch it. It would work." Seb shrugged.

"It wouldn't be fair." Marco shook his head. "I think I will tell them the truth if they ask. They deserve to know. And I doubt that their kids will be silent about this, anyways."

"Okay, as you think." Seb nodded. "Don't worry, it will be over before you know it."

"I hope so." Marco whispered. Seb meant it to dispel his worries, but it would take more than that. "But promise me that you won't go and see Cook!" He voiced one of his biggest worries.

"I promise." Seb said, but Marco didn't overlook his slight hesitation.

They hit the bed not much later, but Marco couldn't sleep. Seb wasn't any better on it, but at least he could manage a shallow slumber now and then. Marco finally gave up and climbed out of the bed, walking down to the kitchen in the dark. He poured himself a glass of water and started to drink it slowly. Seb followed him only a few minutes later.

"I'm sorry I woke you." Marco said.

"It's okay. I can't sleep when you can't." Seb smiled.

"You know, after all these years and attacks, I thought I would be immune to these things." Marco snorted.

"Well, I hope you will never get used to them." Seb shrugged. "Getting hurt, that's what makes us human, and I don't want to lose you, the man I love so much." He embraced Marco from behind and kissed the back of his neck. Warmth flooded the blond's body immediately. "Come on, let's get to bed, maybe we can get some sleep after all."

Marco believed him. He drank up the water, put the glass in the sink and walked with Seb hand in hand. He lay down with the hope that the dawn would bring something better.


	53. Helping Hands

To Seb, there was no difference if someone was trying to hurt Marco or him. Cook had announced a war on both Marco and him, and Seb knew only one way to deal with anyone attacking him. He was going to protect his Marco, even if he had to break his promises to the blond. Choosing between breaking a promise and giving up who we was, he was still going to incline to the former despite his immense love for Marco.

He drove through Manchester with bleary eyes. He didn't sleep much. Over and over again, he woke up just to make sure that Marco was alright. The blond didn't sleep much, either, but towards dawn, he fell into a slumber and Seb was there, guarding his dreams, chasing away any nightmares that would dare trouble his love.

He didn't know how he was going to accomplish his goals, he only knew what he needed to do. His experience was that the how would reveal itself on the go. It wasn't any different this time, and as he reached the headquarters of Cook's empire, a plan was forming in his head.

As he waited for the businessman to arrive, he went over the possible outcomes of their imminent talk. He knew what Cook was capable of. Despite the horrible operation he started on Marco, he was a shrewd entrepreneur, Seb had to give him that. It also made him wary. Cook could easily take the control of their conversation and it could be fatal in Seb's efforts.

He felt the secretary's cutting look on him. He didn't have an appointment, but his position and a few carefully chosen words had convinced her that Mr. Cook would definitely like to talk to him once he came to the office.

The businessman arrived on time. He sent Seb a casual glance, but he turned back with understanding the next moment. Seb returned his stare with venom in his eyes. He didn't want to make a secret about the reason for his visit, even if he would be forced to play by Cook's rules very soon.

"This gentleman would like to see you Mr. Cook. I've told him that he doesn't stand much chance without an appointment, but he insisted–"

"It's okay, Rachel. I'll see him. Bring us two coffees, please!" Cook stopped her without casting her a glance.

"No coffee for me, thank you." Seb stood up and walked into Cook's office.

He didn't wait to be told to sit down. He walked over to the comfortable armchairs standing in the corner and sat down in one of them, putting his little surprise to the businessman in his lap. Cook tried to look calm, but he kept his jaws clenched just a bit too tight, and Seb didn't miss it.

"How can I help you, Mr. Kruse?" Cook finally asked. He walked over to his desk, turned his computer on and opened a window to let in some fresh air along with the noise of the early traffic.

"I think you could teach me something about strategy a little bit." Seb smiled at him.

"I beg your pardon?" Cook raised an eyebrow as he strolled over to Seb and sat down in the next armchair.

"You see, our jobs are very similar." Seb leaned back against his sincere will. He was dying to cut to the point and get the better of Cook, but he knew that he had to stick to his plan. He needed to annoy the businessman a little bit, to keep him in suspense and clueless about the nature of Seb's visit. "We are both juggling with what we have and it is crucial that we play our cards right. You deal with stocks, products and numbers, I play with football players. But the similarities are quite obvious, wouldn't you say?"

He didn't get an answer, but he wasn't really hoping for one. Cook's eyes switched between him and various other parts of the office, in a desperate act of hiding his nervousness. He was out of his comfort zone. He probably was an expert in dealing with other businessmen, he had profound understanding of the rules of trade, but Seb wasn't bound by them. He didn't have to comply with any expectations Cook might have had towards him, and it was his big advantage.

"Lately, you've been utilizing a tactic I haven't seen, and I would like you to explain it to me: just two aspiring men sharing knowledge with each other." Seb continued and fell silent. He wanted to get a reaction out of Cook.

The businessman used the pause caused by Rachel bringing in his morning coffee to compose himself. He took a sip from his drink and leaned back, hitting a casual, almost friendly tone.

"I would be more than happy if you could talk in less riddles, Mr. Kruse. You see, my mind hasn't really started yet, not until I get my daily dosage of caffeine." He raised the cup, smiling. Seb knew better than to believe him. He was inviting him to rush into revealing all he had.

"Oh, I've read an interesting article in the papers just an hour ago." Seb picked up the newspaper lying in his lap and opened it, searching for said article. Not that he didn't know by heart where to find it. "Local businessman hopes to secure deal with the Red Devils." He read the title out loud and tossed the paper on the table so Cook could take a look at it. He didn't. His face turned pale for a moment before he regained his composure and offered his poker face to Seb again. "And why wouldn't you? I mean, you are a self-made man, the pride of the city in a way. With all the global image, United would surely appreciate a local businessman's support. It would help the club to win the hearts of the local fans again, sending a positive message about not forgetting the roots. I must admit, at first look, you seem to be the perfect choice. But then, I wonder if the management would be so willing to seal a deal with a homophobic guy, especially knowing the current state in the squad and other personnel."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Cook said with an impassive expression.

"Yes, I bet you don't. But your son seems to have taken up opinions that aren't common among his fellows." Seb scoffed and shot the businessman a look that made no doubts that Seb knew very well what Cook had done.

"What do you want?" Cook snarled, understanding that there was no point in playing games. He had to take a head-on collision, and that's exactly what Seb wanted to accomplish.

"I've already told you: I would like to learn more about your reasoning. Why would you lower your chances of sealing a deal with United with such a stupid vengeance for only you know what?"

"Are you threatening me?" Cook's eyebrows ran up his forehead.

"Not at all." Seb shook his head, grinning. He had the man in his pocket. "I'm simply musing over the possibilities." He sighed. "You see, I don't wish anything bad for you. Sure, you want to ruin my boyfriend's work and maybe even his life and I don't like it, but I think being the scumbag you are is already punishment enough." He didn't give Cook a chance to retort. "But I also have a contract that binds me to share every fact that could influence the decision making of the club's management. I'm sure you understand it. Public image and all."

He took a pause to appreciate the confusion and slight fear in Cook's eyes. He could play the other one like an instrument, he had all the trump cards and he was sure that in a minute or so, Cook would be willing to do anything just to make sure that he stood a chance of getting the deal he yearned for so much. Who knows, maybe Seb would promise him to get in a good word for him, if needed.

"Luckily, though, I am a person who under the right circumstances can be persuaded to disregard such legal obligations." He said, suggesting a lot and leaving it to Cook to continue their conversation.

He saw the inner battle sitting out on the businessman's face. He avoided looking at Seb as much as he could, but it was still apparent how he struggled to come to a decision. Seb had convinced him that he had made a wrong step and his action against Marco could cost him a lot, which honestly surprised the young coach. He thought that it would be so much harder.

"What do I have to do?" Cook finally croaked out, his desperation audible in his voice.

"I'd say _have to_ is a strong expression." Seb leaned back, playing with Cook's nerves just a little bit longer. "Maybe you _should_ do it. And in this case, it means calling Marco, apologizing to him, promising that you leave his academy alone for the rest of your life and that you won't ever stand in the way of him finding new – sensible – sponsors."

"And in return I get..." Cook urged him to continue.

"The greatest opportunity you can ask for. Let's see... thousands of people come to United's matches every week, millions watch them all around the world and we have the biggest group of supporters from all football clubs. I'd say these are more than promising prospects for your company to make your name more well-known." Seb elaborated. "In fact, I won't keep you from your busy schedule any longer." He stood up. "I don't need to hear from you again, your actions will speak for themselves and mine will too. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cook." He offered his hand.

The businessman stood up unwillingly and took Seb's hand with the emotion he showed to a fly he was about to swat. The raven-haired grinned at him and started off towards the door.

"You are a bastard, Kruse." Cook called after him. Seb only smiled under his nose.

"Yep, you aren't the first one to tell me." He turned back, his hand on the doorknob. "And I also get what I want. You should keep that in mind. One way or another, you will fail in your endeavors and you will apologize to Marco sooner or later. I've offered you a chance to get something out of it which is more than generous. So think about it." He ended their talk and left the businessman to his own.

Everything has worked out perfectly. He got the reaction he was looking for and he was sure about the outcome. There was no chance that Cook would risk his stature over such a minor issue. Unless of course he was a great poker player and saw through Seb, knowing exactly what he had been doing the whole time he was talking to Cook: bluffing.

 

* * *

 

Jerry had taken the news the way Marco had expected him. He shrugged and carried on in his usual morning errands over the academy. He wasn't shaken, he was always moving on immediately, his philosophy being that things would turn out to be one way or another. Some might have taken it for carelessness, but Marco knew that there was more to it. Maybe Jerry was afraid to take on responsibility, but it didn't mean that he didn't care about what was going on around him. He understood more than he saw and what mattered most to Marco was that he didn't turn his back on him. The blond could count on the coach who had become not only his colleague but also his friend.

His only fear was that the parents wouldn't be so understanding. He could only imagine what he would do to someone who hurt his kids, even if only it was a rumor...

And there he was again, thinking about Keith and Ronnie. Since his talk with Seb where his love had basically agreed to Marco's deepest plan to adopt the brothers, he kept musing about the future and what it held for them. It would take them a long time to become a family, not only because of all the paperwork included, but Marco could definitely see them together at the end of a long and rocky road.

"Can I come in?" A soft voice jerked him back to reality.

"Sue!" Marco gasped when he looked up and saw the unexpected visitor. "How can I help you?" He stood up in his surprise, but then he came up with an idea why the social worker would come here and his mood change immediately. "Um, did Mrs. Green send you?" He gulped.

Somehow, he couldn't talk to Sue about this whole matter, not as a part of an investigation. He saw her as a friend, a supporter. They got along very well. Sue saw and appreciated the work Marco was doing for the kids and she always made sure that she let it be felt. Marco looked forward to every time she would come with the kids to witness their training. He also had the suspicion that it had something to do with Jerry, too – Sue watched him at least as much as she watched the boys –, but he never mentioned it.

"No, I have a day-off, but I heard about what happened, and I thought I would come by... if it's okay." She explained, biting down on her lip.

"Yes, sure, that's nice of you." Marco nodded, not sure if this really was the case. He wanted and didn't want to talk about it at the same time. "Can I offer you something? Coffee or tea maybe?"

"No, thanks, I won't stay long. You must have a ton of work to do and a lot on your mind." She shook her head vehemently.

"Please, that's not a trouble." Marco waved away her protest. "If you came here on your day-off, I must say thank you in a way." He smiled at her and she finally gave in.

"Okay, a tea, then." She said and sat down.

"So what's up in the orphanage?" Marco asked. He wanted to sound casual and not let her hear how worried he was about her answer.

"Well, it's big news, everyone is talking about it." She sighed. Great, Marco thought as he poured the boiling water into the cup. "Thank you," Sue accepted the tea. "But you should see how the kids stand up for you. It is rare to see them so passionate about anything." She continued and it warmed Marco's heart a little bit. "They really like you and know that there's nothing to that rumor. And I know that, too." She reassured him. "You'll see, this whole thing will be over very soon."

"Well, Mrs. Green didn't let it seem that way." Marco said sourly.

"Yes, I can imagine." Sue ran her fingers through her hair. "But you must understand her, too. Her hands are bound. She actually values your academy a lot and I think she would like to send the kids here as soon as possible. It is really hard for orphanages to find a free-time activity like this for the kids. She only needs to do everything according to regulations."

"So she will have to inform some office?" Marco inquired.

"Not unless someone specifically asks about why the kids stopped coming here. She will probably stop with asking the kids and then maybe send a social worker with them for a month or so, but you shouldn't be afraid of that. As I've said, you are doing a great job, and that's visible to anyone who is willing to open their eyes."

"Thanks," the blond smiled. "I wish everyone thought like you, but that's not the case. At least, in my experience. Things might get ugly."

"They won't, Marco." She said with certainty. "Have you talked to whoever started this rumor?"

"No, and I think it's for the best if it stays this way. I'm not sure what I would say to him."

"Yes, I can understand it." Sue nodded. "Maybe he isn't that serious about it, he only wanted to scare you."

"Well, he was successful with that." Marco snorted.

"It will be all better." Sue said for the umpteenth time, and a heavy silence fell over them. She sipped her tea slowly and Marco gazed at his desk. Both of them knew how empty her words really were. Yes, maybe she was right, but it might as well be the other way around, with things getting out of control and Marco finding himself in a lot of trouble.

"Can I ask you something, Sue?" Marco quickly spoke up before his thoughts could take him somewhere very dark.

"Sure." She nodded.

"It's about Keith." He drawled. "I couldn't help but overhear his talk with Mrs. Green yesterday. What were they talking about? I could only make out that he wanted something really badly, but she wouldn't let him?"

"Well, it's about the free weekend." She leaned forward to explain. "Every year, we let the orphans visit relatives who can't take care of them all the time for one reason or another. Well, Keith and Ronnie's aunt is alive, but she isn't really in the state to be trusted with children. She never quite accepted her sister's death." She brooded over the family's sad fate. "Because of that, Keith and Ronnie stay at the orphanage while most of the kids enjoy a happy weekend. Keith has been trying to persuade Mrs. Green for years to let them go on a trip, I think he wants to take Ronnie to an adventure park or something. He spared money for it and all, but he isn't of age, so it's not possible."

"I see." Marco nodded. "Can it be that– never mind." He stopped himself from overthinking, but it was pointless. Sue knew very well what was on his mind.

"I'm not really sure. I mean, this is mostly about relatives, but maybe there can be exceptions... I'll look into it and let you know." She chuckled, sending Marco a knowing glance.

Marco opened his mouth to protest and explain that he didn’t really mean it, that he wasn’t in a situation to even consider that possibility, but his heart stopped him, because deep down there, he did mean it and he wanted it more than anything else. "Thank you," he finally said, putting all his gratitude into it and sending out a prayer that at least this much would work out for him.


	54. Results

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to wish all my readers a very merry Christmas, may you enjoy these beautiful days and find peace, love and happiness. :-)

When Seb got home, he didn’t need to think about whether Cook had called Marco or not. The blond came from the kitchen to meet him and his body language didn’t leave any doubts about what had happened. He looked angry at Seb for breaking his promise, but at the same time, the younger one could not not spot that his love was walking a few inches above the ground and that behind that strict mask, there was a purer and truer Marco beaming with joy and relief. A playful smile tugged at the corners of his lips, despite all his efforts to hide it.

“You won’t believe what happened today,” Marco started. “I had the most peculiar phone calls.”

“Really? Well, that sounds interesting.” Seb played the innocent as he stepped out of his shoes. He walked over to Marco and put a chaste peck on his cheeks. Then, he went into the bathroom to wash his hands, the blond on his heels all the time.

“Cook called.” Marco said simply. He kept Seb’s face under close scrutiny in the mirror. “To apologize.”

“Wow, that’s truly amazing news!” Seb smiled. “What happened? Did he come to reason?”

“Either that, or someone – let’s say gently – helped him to find his sense.” Marco added suggestively. His eyebrow ran up his forehead as he demanded an explanation from Seb.

“Might be.” Seb nodded, still being casual and trying to evade a more heated discussion. He honestly didn’t know what to expect from Marco. He knew that the blond was happy, but he would surely stick to his role and reprimand Seb for breaking his promise, and the younger one just didn’t know how far he was willing to take it.

“You promised me.” Marco burst out, but it wasn’t anger, rather a unique mix of exhaustion and disappointment.

Seb stopped on his way and stepped to Marco. He put his hands on his shoulders and looked him deep in the eyes. “And you never quite believed me, right?” He uttered the other half of the truth. “You know me, Marco. I’ve change a lot because of you and for the better, but I’m not going to give up who I am, not completely. You knew right from the start that I wouldn’t be able to stop myself, and I also know that you are okay with it.” His eyes wandered down Marco’s body and settled on his engagement ring. “I’m going to be your husband, it is my duty to protect you. I will never let anyone hurt you, and that’s it.”

“I know,” Marco sighed, “and I’m truly grateful for you. I just didn’t want you to make any promises to Cook in return for his silence or whatever deal you two agreed on.”

“You don’t have to worry about it.” Seb said gently. “Just enjoy that it is over before it could have turned ugly.” He pulled in Marco for an embrace, but the blond broke free.

“No.” He said determined. “I want to know. If we are to be husbands, I want to know everything you agree to do.” Seb wanted to avoid this part of their conversation and he took a quick step to get away from Marco’s inquiries, but the blond grabbed his wrist. “Seb, I’m serious.”

“Okay.” Seb nodded. “Cook wants to become United’s business partner or sponsor or whatever. I simply pointed out to him that his action might put him in a bad light with the management and they might reconsider this deal. Nothing more.”

“So you basically promised him withholding information from your bosses only so you can get your satisfaction in protecting me.” Marco broke it down. “Seb, that’s exactly what I didn’t want you to do! If you get into such promises, you are no better than Cook!”

“Don’t tell me that!” Seb snapped, Marco’s words touching him in a very sensitive way. A twinkle of remorse shone in the blond’s eyes. “I wasn’t risking anything. Honestly, I couldn’t care less what Cook does with his miserable business. I don’t have the voice he thinks I have in United’s backstage. Quite frankly, I think if I called the bosses to tell on him, they would seal a deal with him just to upset me. You could say that we don’t have the most harmonious relationship. Besides, the Glazers want to see money. Lots of it. An amount Cook simply can’t give them, even if he emptied his pockets. He doesn’t stand a chance of getting that agreement, but his self-importance makes him blind to that truth. With or without me, he’s hopeless. I’m not _giving_ him anything in return for his apology. Satisfied?”

“Oh, Seb!” Marco sighed and snuggled close to his boyfriend, seeing his mistake. “I didn’t mean to tell you off. I’m happy that you did what you did. I was just afraid that you wanted to pay the price for my problem.”

“There’s no such thing as your problem, Marco.” Seb corrected him. “At least I thought we’ve reached that point in our love. Whatever happens to you, it concerns me, and the other way around. You did more for me before the Liverpool game than you understand. I was simply doing the same for you, and I think it’s normal.”

“Yes, you are right.” Marco nodded. He was amazed by the maturity Seb showed. Sometimes it was really hard for him to believe that this wonderful man he was leaning against was actually younger than him. And then, at other times, it was hard to believe that Seb had made it through childhood. “I’m sorry I freaked out. But I was really afraid that you–”

“I didn’t.” Seb groused. He was getting frustrated now. “Can we just please move on?”

“Yes, sure.” Marco pulled back, confused. Seb was worried that his last outburst planted new doubts in the blond, but he didn’t want to care about it right now. He wished Marco would believe him and trust him without second thoughts.

“What did he say, by the way?” Seb inquired. They left for the kitchen where the delicious smell of their dinner in the middle of preparation welcomed him.

“That he’s sorry, he overstepped a line and that he just lost it when I didn’t agree to his suggestions. He promised that he would leave it at that and won’t interfere with my vision and that if I forgave him, I could count on his support. Not that I will ever get to that point. I have my pride.” Marco smiled.

“Yes, of course you do.” Seb laughed. He heard his own words echoing in Cook’s apology. “Let’s just forget this Cook.”

“Oh, and he also asked if Tommy could stay at the academy. He said that he really enjoys being there and he found a lot of friends.” Marco announced with a huge grin on his face.

“Sounds like he makes more sense than his father.” Seb noted.

“Yes.” Marco finally gave in to his honest feelings and couldn’t stop beaming. “Gosh, I feel so relieved that this is done. I was truly concerned that it would get nasty with a lot of accusations and unwanted questions. I even feared that I would have to close the academy. But thanks to you, it is now over.” He ran to Seb and gave him a long and loud kiss. The younger one let out a sigh of relief, too. Marco seemed to finally have accepted his report. “You are amazing. You should have become a businessman!”

“Come on, with my looks?” Seb giggled.

“What do you have against your looks?” Marco frowned.

“I know that love can blind you, but you are having serious trouble indeed if you think that I’m a beauty.” He waved off the unspoken compliment.

“I fell in love with you for a reason, right?” Marco purred.

“I’ve always taken you for someone preferring inner beauty.” Seb teased him.

“To be honest, I’m not sure if it would be in your favor. You were quite the jerk in your day.” Marco hit back.

“Hah, I feel offended.” Seb turned away.

“I will make it up to you.” Marco replied without hesitation. He had learned a long time ago how to play this game with Seb. He didn’t even have to look at the raven haired to know that he was only acting. Marco focused on the food instead, determined to cook the dinner Seb deserved after what he had done today.

“How do you propose to do that?” Seb asked, his voice giving him away. He was more than up for the plan.

“Well, why don’t you let me finish this wonder here,” Marco lifted a wooden spoon, “then we could share a romantic dinner at candlelight, move things to the bedroom and see where it takes us.”

“I was expecting more originality.” Seb said as if he was fighting a yawn. “But, I’ll take it. I don’t want to be the jerk you thought I ever was.”

 

* * *

 

Their dinner was everything Marco had expected it to be. The food was amazing and they ate in a passionate silence, unable to keep their eyes off the other one. It was magical and very intimate. Marco felt their already strong bond getting even firmer, and that without them uttering a single word. They found the way to each other in the stillness of the evening, the warm orange candlelight closing out the world until only they two existed. The moment couldn’t last long enough and Seb probably thought the same way, because he filled his plate twice and ate slower and slower as the huge heap of juicy meat got smaller.

But against their best efforts, there had to come an end to the dinner. They moved over to the living room where they sipped their wine and exchanged loving glances. Marco wished they had a fireplace to further sweeten the situation – or maybe he was just getting older. He smiled at that thought. He had been so adamant on negating everyone who dared to say that he wasn’t the youngest anymore, and yet, there he was, wishfully thinking about how perfect it would be to do the most elderish thing in the world with Seb.

“What’s that?” Seb asked, noticing Marco’s smile.

“Nothing. Just a stupid thought.” The blond chuckled.

“I hope it’s not about me.” Seb teased him.

“Not at all. Well, you might play a part in it.” Marco laughed and snuggled close to Seb. The younger one welcomed him in an embrace. He lay down in Seb’s lap and stared at the ceiling. Seb put his warm hand on his head and started to stroke his hair, sometimes stopping to idle with a lock of hair, swirling it around his finger. “This really is a wonderful evening.” Marco moaned, giving in to the emotion of being loved and cared for.

“Shh.” Seb stopped him, as if mentioning it out loud would somehow break the magic and let reality catch up to them. If he thought so, he was right, because the next moment, Marco’s phone started to ring. The blond sat up groaning and was about to haul himself off the couch when he felt Seb’s hand on his thigh. “Leave it.” The raven haired half-said, half-instructed. A look at his dark eyes was enough to let Marco know what exactly he had in mind instead of that phone call.

“Maybe it’s important.” Marco shook his head.

“Maybe it isn’t.” Seb objected. Marco gifted him with a smile but then stood up and jogged into their bedroom. His heart missed a beat when he saw who the caller was. Could it be that she had come to a conclusion so soon? He sat down on the bed and reached for the little device with a shaking hand, steeling himself for the news that was awaiting him. “Hello?” He greeted, unable to conceal the weakness in his voice. He wasn’t ashamed of it. This was an important issue to him and he wasn’t prudish to show it.

 

“Who was it?” Seb asked when Marco returned to the living room. The blond looked at him baffled for a moment. He needed to get back to the world, he had been buried in his thoughts too much.

“Never mind.” He said as he slumped down in the armchair.

“Okay.” Seb shrugged and took another sip from his wine. He said it casually, but there was nothing resigning about him. That one word, the way he said it made Marco _want_ to share the news with him, but he didn’t know how to go about it. But he knew that the longer he waited, the harder he would make it for himself, so he started to speak even when he was struggling expressing himself.

“Cook wasn’t the only one I talked with today. Sue came to the academy in the morning.” He said, addressing the empty space in front of him.

“Oh,” Seb mouthed. “Was she conducting that inquiry?”

“No, she came as a friend.” Marco shook his head. “She heard about what happened and wanted to solace me. We talked about what the orphanage could and couldn’t do, which calmed me down a little bit. She said it wouldn’t be very bad unless something new happened, and with Cook cancelled, – thanks to you – I don’t think we have to fear that. So basically if the kids don’t tell anything bad about me, they might start coming again in a few days. And according to Sue, they are very supportive of me.” He started rambling, just to postpone talking about the real topic of their conversation, something he couldn’t do any longer. “I also asked him about Keith. You know, he was in Mrs. Green’s office yesterday and looked upset. I thought that maybe she could tell me what was going on. Keith has been acting strangely at the academy, too, and I was afraid that it was because of something I did.

“It turns out that the kids have a weekend of leave as long as there are some relatives who are willing to take them away. Just so they can forget about the orphanage life and enjoy family life, even if it’s just for a few days. Now, Keith and Ronnie don’t have such a relative. Their aunt doesn’t want to take them – she lives far away and doesn’t want a reminder of her sister’s death. I don’t really understand it, but it’s her choice after all.

“Keith has been trying to convince Mrs. Green to let him take Ronnie on a trip for that weekend. He’s almost grown-up now and he has saved the money for it. Sue said that he even requested the authorities to acknowledge him as of age, so he could take care of Ronnie. He will have to leave the orphanage next year and Sue says that it’s hard to tell what will become of them once that happens. Keith could become Ronnie’s guardian, but not unless he is working and can guarantee appropriate living conditions, which is extremely hard to guarantee even for himself.”

“I’m starting to have a feeling where this is going.” Seb noted, bringing an end to Marco’s monologue.

“Are you mad?” Marco looked at him worried.

“I’ve just told you not to be mad at me for being myself,” Seb’s features softened, “how could I be mad at you for the same?”

“Not that it matters.” Marco hung his head low instead of feeling relieved. “She said that it’s unlikely we can make Keith’s plan come true. We are not related to them and we need the director’s special permission to take them on a trip even if it’s for just one day.”

“And?” Seb asked, not understanding the big problem.

“And?!” Marco snapped. “There’s no way Mrs. Green will grant us that!”

“Wow! Your fighting spirit is truly inspiring.” He mocked Marco. “We haven’t even tried.”

“Wait a minute!” Marco looked up. “Are you saying that you want to go into this? That you think we should try getting that permission from Mrs. Green?”

“Marco, I’ve already told you that I’m okay with us aspiring to adopt kids, do I have to tell you every day?”

“Well, I think ‘you being okay with it’ is not enough. This is a topic much more important.”

“Okay, so I want it, better?”

“Seb, I’m serious!”

“So am I– in my very own way.” Seb laughed. “Just stop thinking that we somehow don’t deserve it or aren’t good enough to be serious about it. I know that’s what’s stopping you.”

“And that’s coming from you, who didn’t want kids for the same reason in the first place.” Marco snorted.

“And I’ve worked on it, and now I think we would be completely capable parents.” Seb said. Marco didn’t even know how he managed to keep his calm. Thinking about what he had thrown at Seb’s head, he wanted the ground to swallow him up. “But the point is, that there’s only one way to find out.”

“You are right.” Marco nodded. He stood up and walked over to Seb, because it felt strange to talk about this all with a distance between them. “But how do you think Keith will take it? Or should we talk to him about it?”

“Well, that would be the best way to make sure that it doesn’t happen.” Seb laughed. “Keith wants to be the responsible big brother and doesn’t want to accept any help, because he thinks that with that, he will give up. He needs someone to show him that it’s not true and that only because he gets help he isn’t weak.”

“Wow, it certainly looks like you have him perfectly mapped.” Marco said, sitting in Seb’s lap astride.

“Well, I’ve been there once.” Seb smirked. “Until one day, I met a certain football player with hazel eyes and he changed my world completely.” Before Marco could say anything to that, Seb grabbed him, lifted him up only to lay him on the couch and using his lips in a different way to continue his confession.


	55. Persuasion

The next afternoon saw them headed to the orphanage once again, this time Marco was driving. His heart was somewhere in his throat and he could barely keep sitting in his seat from the excitement. He hadn't slept much the entire night (and not only because of Seb's passionate love confessions that took new forms). He could only think about how he would present his wish to Mrs. Green that would give them the biggest chance of getting what they wanted.

Truth to be told, Marco still had doubts about how much Seb meant adoption seriously and how much he was doing it only for him, but for the time being, he decided to banish these thoughts. This was a real opportunity to help kids who needed help and they wouldn't risk anything. Seb was right, they could find out if they were ready for adopting only one way and this was the perfect experiment. Marco was a bit afraid about Keith's reaction, but if he wanted to adopt him, – and that in the not so distant future – he needed to learn to deal with him and show him just what Seb had depicted: that Keith wasn't weak for accepting help, quite the contrary. Marco learned the hard way how strong someone needed to be to admit that they needed help.

Just like he needed right now. He couldn't get through this conversation alone. Not only because he thought it only fair if Mrs. Green got to know Seb, too, but also because he needed his love to lend him strength. They had been doing things together for a long time, but their engagement changed a lot of things. Now it wasn't a kind of a choice, they needed to learn to take it natural and it was new for Marco, even after years of sticking together through good and bad. He had always thought that their love was strong, and it was, but he couldn't stop wondering about how big of a step their engagement really was. Their future together wasn't a simple promise anymore. There was proof for it and it was right on Marco's finger.

When they pulled onto the parking lot next to the orphanage, Marco almost fainted. Saying that he was nervous would have been a huge understatement. He felt like retching and the whole world was spinning around him – it was very much like how he felt coming out of Mrs. Green's office two days before. Just two days! How much had changed since then!

"Is everything alright?" Seb stepped next to him.

"Yes, it is. Let's go." Marco took a deep breath and showed the younger one a quick smile. He started off towards the entrance to underscore his words, but also to make sure that he didn't change his mind. He was close to it, even though this was what his heart wanted the most.

Sue was waiting for them in the hall. She was all smiles like always and she hugged both of them. It calmed Marco down a little bit. She was the social worker appointed to Keith and Ronnie, so she would be in the office with them and it gave Marco hope. She surely knew how to deal with Mrs. Green, because as far as Marco knew, Keith was a regular visitor at the old lady.

"She is on the phone right now, but in a few minutes, we may go." She explained and pointed at the chairs lined up next to the further wall.

"No, thanks." Marco shook his head. "Is Jeremy here by any chance?"

"Yes, all the boys are here." Sue nodded. "Ideally, they would be at your academy at this time of the day, but it still has to wait a few days, I'm afraid. Why do you need him?"

"I owe him an apology."

"Sure, I can show you to him." Sue offered.

"Actually, I think it would be better if we met here." Marco bit down on his lips. "I'm not sure I want to meet all the kids right now."

"Marco, you can't hide from them forever." Sue shot him a reprimanding look.

"Yes, I know, and I don't want to..." Marco explained hastily, because actually, that was what he was trying to do. "I just think it would be better to face them in the academy, where they would have some sort of distraction." And I could get the attention away from me, he added to himself.

"Okay." Sue gave in. "I'll take you to our room, and fetch Jeremy. No one will see you. Is that fine?"

"Thank you." Marco smiled. "Is it okay with you?" He turned to Seb.

"Just go on." The raven-haired waved his hand.

Sue led him into a cozy little room with a comfortable couch and two desks. At least a dozen coats were lined up on hooks and pictures of social workers with children were all over the wall. Marco felt like a stranger here and he didn't dare sit down as he was waiting. He needed to talk to Jeremy and explain his reaction from two days earlier. He was still feeling awful about it, in fact it was weighing down on him more than how Mrs. Green would decide about the kids attending his academy.

"Here we are!" Sue opened the door and a small figure rushed past her immediately.

"Marco!" Jeremy shouted and ran at the blond, hugging him, his arms around his waist.

"Hey, little fellow!" Marco laughed and squatted down next to Jeremy. "Listen, I want to say how sorry I am that I shouted at you the day before yesterday. It wasn't right. I had other things on my mind and I took it out on you. I am truly sorry and I hope you can forgive me."

"I know, Marco." Jeremy nodded.

He was just a little boy, but his eyes shone with true understanding. Marco was amazed by the thousandth time about how strong these orphans were. Life showed its worst side to them. They had to grow up much quicker than needed, but they never complained. They stood up to their fate and welcomed whatever life threw at them next. They were really inspiring and Marco didn't think that he would ever stop looking up to them for it.

"I've heard what Tommy's Dad is saying about you. But you haven't done anything wrong!" He said, anger surging through his body and he actually clenched his fists.

"I'm glad you think so." Marco smiled. "And you know what? Your opinion matters much more to me than Mr. Cook's. I'm happy that you are not mad at me and that we could be friends again."

"I can't wait to get back to the academy! It is really boring in here!" Jeremy sighed.

"I can imagine." Marco laughed. "But promise me something: when you come back, you won't give Tommy a hard time. He isn't responsible for anything that happened."

"Yes, but if he says something bad about you again, he will have to deal with me." Jeremy said, determined.

"Thank you, Jeremy." Marco laughed again, and Sue joined him. "Hey, do you still have that drawing you were showing me the other day? I really liked what I saw, and I think you haven't shown me everything you wanted, right?"

Jeremy's eyes lit up immediately and he ran out of the room, his footsteps getting further away. Marco stood up and looked at Sue. She was full of smiles and she shook her head in disbelief.

"Have I done something wrong?" Marco asked, freaked out.

"Quite the opposite!" Sue chuckled. "You were wonderful. You really know how to deal with kids. Have you ever considered joining us at the orphanage? We are always looking for friendly guys like you. I guess the boys are having enough of all the female nurses. I admit, it doesn't pay much, but that's not why we do it anyways."

"Thank you, but I think I will leave it to you." Marco laughed, a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. His talk with Jeremy did him good. For a moment, he forgot about his doubts and now when they were crawling back into his mind, they seemed to be much smaller. "Two kids would be more than enough to deal with."

"You will get there, eventually, don't you question that." Sue stroke his arm. "Mrs. Green would be blind not to see how loving you are. I will do everything I can to help you convince her. But you should fill out your applications to become adoptive parents, though. It helps a lot if you have connections with an orphanage already, and the whole process has become quicker over the last years."

"Thank you, Sue. For everything." Marco said it honestly. "I appreciate it a lot. I know that you wouldn't have to do it, and I hope that you are right about Mrs. Green. I really feel like Seb and I could offer Keith and Ronnie what they need, even if it's only a weekend for starters."

 

* * *

 

After Jeremy explained everything about his drawing, Sue and Marco returned to the hall to the most horrible image Marco could imagine: Mrs. Green talking to Seb. The two of them seemed to be very engaged in their conversation and they barely noticed the two newcomers. Marco sent out an asking glance at Seb, and his boyfriend returned it with a reassuring expression, but Marco had trouble believing it. Seb didn't understand his worries, because he didn't know Mrs. Green. She was hard to deal with and the slightest mistake could cost them dearly.

"Mr. Reus! I thought I've promised you that we would inform you once we reached a conclusion." Mrs. Green greeted him in her own way. Marco couldn't help noticing how her voice and expression changed. While she appeared to be in a friendly chat with Seb, she put on her official, more reserved mask now.

"Yes, this is about a different matter altogether." Marco drawled.

"Let's move this into my office then, shall we?" Mrs. Green turned around and started off in said direction. "Sue, thank you for accompanying the gentlemen, I'll take it from here."

"Actually, I ought to go with you." Sue corrected her, and that earned an honest surprise from Mrs. Green's part.

They reached the office. Mrs. Green stepped in first, Marco close to follow. Seb remained the last one, politely letting Sue in before himself. He also grabbed a chair and put it next to the other two in front of Mrs. Green's desk. The director sat down in her comfortable office chair and looked expectantly at the three of them. Marco cleared his throat and Seb squeezed his hand in support.

"I would like to discuss this free weekend thing, Mrs. Green. Well, we would like to discuss it." He started. If he surprised the old lady, she didn't let it show.

"Is your academy planning to organize a special event for the orphans staying behind?" She guessed.

"Not exactly. But I think Seb and I could do something for two of the orphans staying behind." Marco explained. "Sue was kind enough to inform me about Keith's plan to take Ronnie on a trip. I understand the problems with it and that you cannot allow them to leave on their own just like that. But I was wondering that if Seb and I maybe took responsibility for them, you would reconsider your position on the matter."

The silence following was much longer than Marco would have liked to. Sue sent him a smile, as if she wanted to tell him that he was doing well, but the mix of feelings on Mrs. Green's face talked about something else. She didn't look pleased with the offer and that someone was trying to get a say in what was in her authority. As far as Marco could tell, she was mad at Sue for her talking to Marco.

"What makes you think that?" She croaked out finally.

"Well, Seb and I have been considering adoption for a long time now. We are settled in Manchester and this could be the right time to step into action." Marco smiled at her, but it was like waiting for sympathy from a brick wall.

"The procedure can be found on the web page of every relevant department. You can't just storm in and take the kids you would like to, Mr. Reus. They are not commodities."

"I understand, of course, I didn't mean it that way..." Marco stammered.

"Mrs. Green. I took the liberty of looking into the regulations. There is nothing blocking anyone taking kids on a free weekend, as long as they are reliable, and I think that Mr. Reus and Mr. Kruse fulfill that expectation." Sue joined in the slow and hard working of the director.

"And I suppose you expect me to agree to it." Mrs. Green filled in. She was well aware of the legal possibilities.

"Yes." Marco nodded.

"It's not that simple, I don't know what you've been thinking." She said, making sure that she addressed all three of them. "I am responsible for these poor orphans, I can't let them leave with random people, and you two are basically strangers to me. I don't know the kind of household you have."

"Mrs. Green, I know what Marco and–" Sue tried to explain, but she was cut short.

"That's irrelevant." She said sternly. "It is my call and I don't have the knowledge to allow me making such a decision."

"Look," Marco sighed, trying a different approach. "Neither Keith nor Ronnie are little kids anymore. They are both teenagers and they can look out for themselves most of the time. I'm not talking about adoption. I just want to help Keith make his big dream come true. He has worked really hard to be able to gift Ronnie with a day of happiness. If you want to, we will only take them wherever they want to go and bring them back here. Only a few hours. I don't see what wrong can come out of it."

"Your reasons are noble, Mr. Reus, but my hands are bound once again. I can see that you have the kids' interest on your mind, but unfortunately, there is a certain procedure to these things, and I'm afraid you are too late. The weekend is barely a week away. It's simply not enough time to check everything you two need to guarantee for the kids."

"There might be, if you started it right now." Marco pointed out, using his last resort.

"Do the kids know about this?" Mrs. Green asked, a hint of hesitation in her voice. It wasn't much, but more than enough to give Marco new hope.

"No. We didn't want to ask them until we spoke with you." Marco explained.

"What is your opinion on this?" She turned to Sue, who looked as surprised by being asked as Marco was. "You are their guardian, you know if this would be in their best interest or not."

"I think it is a wonderful idea." Sue said with certainty. "Marco and Seb are two loving people and I think the break would do Keith and Ronnie good. I know that there have been problems with Keith, but he knows both Marco and Seb. And I think if he gets his way just this one time, it will be easier to deal with him in the future. He will be out of here in a year, it might be time to prepare him for the world outside and that comes with a lot of responsibility. This would be the perfect first lesson. He can take responsibility for Ronnie, but he will still have two grown-ups to rely on if needed."

"Hm," Mrs. Green mused. "So you see the two of them in the role of supervisors rather than guardians?"

"Exactly." Sue nodded.

"I'll see what I can do." Mrs. Green gave in and Marco couldn't believe his ears. He wanted to spring up and hug her. He was pleasantly surprised at how maturely she considered their cause. He had been afraid that she would wipe it off with a simple gesture, but she actually listened to reasons.

"Thank you. We won't bring you down, I can promise you that. And we will cooperate in any check or control you have to do." Marco promised.

"I would advise you that." Mrs. Green nodded. "You can go now."

"Thank you once again." Marco said, standing up. He scurry out of the office and turned around to face Sue and Seb with a huge grin. "YES!" He shouted as he embraced Sue and lifted her in the air. "You were amazing! I don't know how we will ever thank you for this!"

"You can start by putting me down!" Sue laughed. "This isn't the end, Marco. She only gave you a chance. Sure, everything has been going according to plan up to now, but you really have to charm her now."

"We will, right?" Marco asked, looking for confirmation from Seb. His boyfriend stood there, somehow left out, but when Marco stepped to him, he grabbed the blond's hand.

"Yes. She isn't as horrible as you depicted her. I found her a charming lady, actually." Seb explained. Both Marco and Sue looked at him as if he had just announced that he came from Mars. "What?"

"Are you sure we are talking about the same person?" Marco asked. Seb let it that way.

"Guys, I'm really happy for you, but I need to go now! I'll call if there's any news or if I learn something about what the shrew plans to do."

"Thank you, Sue! We owe you a lot after today." Marco called after her. "Can we go?" He turned to Seb. The younger one nodded and they strolled towards the exit. "What?" Marco asked, feeling Seb's eyes on him all the way.

"I'm proud of you." Seb said, his voice filled with love. "You fought really hard in there. It was the Marco I fell in love with. If you want something this bad, there's no way you aren't going to get it."

"We." Marco corrected him. "We are in it together."

"Yes, we are." Seb chewed on the words. "And we are an unbeatable duo."


	56. A Step to the Future

Two days. Marco couldn’t believe it. After their meeting with Mrs. Green, he wasn’t sure if they could get as little as a few hours, and now they were on their way to pick Keith and Ronnie up on a Friday afternoon for a weekend at them. It was everything Marco had wished for and he couldn’t wait to get to the orphanage. Slowly, it was becoming his habit to be nervous whenever he went there, but this time, it was the good sort of nervousness, filled with excitement. He had no clue how he would deal with Keith in their home for two days, but he knew that they would manage somehow. When he told the brothers about the possibility, Ronnie’s eyes lit up and there was some sort of happiness in Keith’s eyes, too, but he was more wary. Marco could understand it. The boy had only gotten the worst treatment his whole life, he still had problems accepting that someone simply wanted to help him. But, Marco was determined to change that over the course of the weekend, or at least make a few steps in the right direction.

To his utter surprise, Seb was as excited about it as he. He had questions about how his boyfriend would feel about the weekend, but he was looking forward to it very much. It was international break and he took a day off, just so they could be together and take the kids to the adventure park Keith wanted them to visit. Kids… when he pulled over into the parking lot and saw Keith and Ronnie standing on the pavement all packed, he didn’t see kids. Keith was almost grown-up, and he knew that Ronnie would soon reach the worst of his teenage years, but it was okay with Marco. He loved them.

“Is everyone ready?” He got out of the car. Ronnie beamed at him and ran to the car, flinging his bag onto the back seat and immediately starting a conversation with Seb. Keith was more reserved. He didn’t say anything to Marco, he simply walked past him and sat in the car.

“Give him some time.” Sue said apologetically. “He is just mad at himself that he couldn’t do this alone. But once he sees how much Ronnie enjoys himself, he will open up.”

“Yes, I know.” Marco nodded. He still remembered the pride in Keith’s eyes whenever he saw his little brother play football.

“If there’s any problem or complication, just call me. I will help if you need me.” Sue said.

“Wasn’t Jerry telling me that you were going to spend the weekend together?” Marco smiled and it made her blush. “I’m happy for you. I hope he will be nice to you, otherwise he will have to face my revenge.” He laughed.

“No, he is a really nice guy.” Sue stammered, her face still red.

“Come on, Marco! I want to go!” Ronnie called after him, his head sticking out of the window.

“You’ve heard the boss,” Marco shrugged and turned around.

“Good luck! And call me any time!” Sue repeated.

“There won’t be any problem.” Marco turned back, smiling and he believed it completely.

 

* * *

 

“Here we are!” Marco opened the front door for them and let them in into their home. “Your rooms are upstairs. We tried to buy everything you would need, but if there’s something missing, just tell me, and we’ll get it, okay? Keith, there are some things Nico left here, but you can use them.”

“Wait, are we staying in different rooms?” Ronnie asked, with mixed emotions.

Marco wanted to slap himself. Of course, they had spent their entire lives together, why did he even think that they wanted it to be any different for this weekend? “Um, yes, but we can still move one bed to the other room.” He bit down on his lips.

“No, it’s okay.” Ronnie said after a glance at Keith. Keith longed for some privacy, it was written all over his face. “Cool, actually!” The younger brother laughed and raced towards the stairs. Keith followed him in a stroll. Marco was about to go with them, but Seb clearing his throat stopped him.

“What?” He turned back, keeping his voice low.

“Marco, they are more than capable of unpacking their things. Give them some space, they live according to a dozen rules in the orphanage, let this really be a free weekend for them.” Seb explained, amused.

“Gosh, you are right!” Marco sighed. “I’m screwing this up, am I not?”

“With your nervousness? You definitely are.” Seb smiled and stepped to Marco, hugging him. “Relax. Everything’s going to be fine. They aren’t helpless, they can ask for help if they need it.”

“Um, okay.” Marco sighed.

He wanted to be the perfect father and read all their wishes before they could utter them, but Seb was right. He would only seem to be nosy and would get the opposite effect than desired.

He still couldn’t stand the wait very long when Keith and Ronnie stayed silent for a long half an hour. He tiptoed upstairs when Seb wasn’t paying attention to check if everything was alright. Ronnie seemed to be fine, but Marco found Keith’s door closed and he didn’t dare enter or just knock and he was quick to voice his concern to Seb.

“Keith closed the door.” He announced with a lot of drama.

“Which seventeen-year-old wouldn’t do it?” Seb looked at him over a magazine.

“But what if something happens to him? How will I know?” Marco paced up and down. He couldn’t understand how Seb could be so calm.

“Well, maybe he will tell you?” Seb suggested. Marco scoffed. No, his boyfriend was wrong this time. He didn’t understand how Keith was working. Yes, Marco didn’t truly either, but he still knew the teenager better than Seb. “Okay, let me break it down to you. Keith wants to take Ronnie to this adventure park more than anything, right? What do you think he does the day before the trip? I bet he’s checking that everything is ready and that Ronnie will have the perfect day of his childhood.”

Marco stopped, because what Seb said made sense. He let out a sigh of relief and slumped down in an armchair. “God, I’m overthinking once again, right?” He rubbed his forehead.

“Not again. Still.” Seb corrected him, buried in the paper again. “God why people who don’t know anything about football write about it?” He burst out.

“And why do you even read football magazines? It always makes you angry.” Marco hit back, forgetting about all his worries in a split second.

 

* * *

 

Seb had been right and Keith was safe and sound when he came down for dinner. The boys ate with great appetite and Ronnie didn’t stop praising the food, the house and everything about Marco’s and Seb’s life. He was enjoying himself very much and it finally loosened up Keith a little bit. He acknowledged that his plan was coming to life, even if in a different way than he had planned, but it was okay with him. Marco shared a satisfied glance with Seb and leaned back, appreciating his luck. Not only he had a wonderful love by his side, he was also getting a taste of what their life might become one day. And he hoped with his whole heart that it wouldn’t be a day far away in the future.

The bigger surprise came when Seb and he were sitting in the living room, watching TV. Ronnie had gone to his room to do his homework so he wouldn’t have to worry about it during the weekend, and Keith slowly crept into the room. Marco didn’t dare move, as if he could scare him away. Keith circled around them, not sure if he could sit down or not.

“Do you want to watch something?” Seb finally asked, getting enough of Keith’s creepy pacing up and down.

“No, not really.” Keith hurried to say, as if he was woken up from a deep dream. “Um, I wanted to ask you about tomorrow, what are your plans and so…”

“Well, we’re going to that adventure park, aren’t we?” Marco asked. “We promised you.”

“Yes, but since you’ve taken matters into your own hands, I was wondering if you maybe overwrote other parts of my plans.” Keith shrugged smugly. Marco felt a sudden urge to tell him off and stop making him play the tough guy who took everything easily, as if it didn’t mean anything to him. Why would he try to hide how much he cared about Ronnie? There was nothing shameful about it!

“No, we didn’t.” Seb answered instead of him. He must have felt Marco’s anger. “When do you want to leave?”

“As early as possible.” Keith said. “They have a lot of cool stuff and Ronnie will surely want to try everything out. You haven’t told him anything about it, right?”

“No. We promised that, too.” Marco hit back. He didn’t like this kind of Keith. He was all amazed by the caring brother, but this role that was so familiar to Marco through Seb didn’t suit him at all.

“Um, okay. Right. So tomorrow after breakfast?” Keith asked.

Marco and Seb nodded in unison and exchanged a glance, putting all their confusion into it. Marco thought that Keith would maybe say thank you or something, but it looked like it was a vain hope. Seb urged him to be more patient with his look, and it turned out that Marco didn’t have to wait long.

“Um, thanks. It’s really nice of you.” Keith turned back in the doorway. Marco spun around, afraid that he heard it wrongly.

“You’re welcome. We are happy to do it for you.” He said with a huge grin. Suddenly, the world seemed a much more beautiful place when he saw Keith’s happiness sit out on his face, even if it lasted only for a moment.

 

* * *

 

The adventure park wasn’t anything like what Marco had imagined. He expected modern equipment and huge machinery – basically an amusement park with maybe riskier rides. But he certainly didn’t expect a park with a lot of green with rope bridges between the trees and handholds made out of wood that looked more used than Marco would have liked to. His stomach clenched into a tight knot when he thought that he was about to let Ronnie go up there. _He_ wouldn’t do it. Surely, it was too high up for a kid of Ronnie’s age. And besides, there was no one else around which must have told something about how much people trusted this park and its attractions.

“Come on, Marco! Let’s go!” Ronnie shouted. Keith and he were already at the entrance, with the older boy inspecting the board with the entrance fees. Ronnie’s eyes gleamed as if he had just seen the eighth wonder of the world.

Marco hurried up and he reached into his pocket.

“What are you doing?” Seb stopped him.

“Paying for the tickets?” Marco said, not really understanding what wasn’t clear to Seb.

“Oh no, it’s not going to happen.” Seb shook his head. “Keith wanted to bring Ronnie here. If you pay instead of him, he will take it as an attack on his dignity and will never talk to you again. And I’m inviting you. I have to give credit to Keith, this place looks like fun!” He laughed and went forward to buy the tickets.

Marco rolled his eyes. Of course Seb was going to enjoy this day. He was as nuts as Keith, and he already acted like a child. It seemed like Marco would be the only reasonable grown-up today. He wasn’t looking forward to it, because surely, it would be draining and get on his nerves, but he followed his fiancé. Ronnie and Keith were already inside, looking at their map to find the first attractions they wanted to try out.

“Enjoy yourselves!” The cashier told them. _Right, if only it was that easy_ , Marco groused under his breath. You couldn’t just switch off when being responsible for two and a half boys. Something told Marco, that if anyone was going to get injured here, it would be Seb.

But when he looked up and saw his boyfriend discussing plans with the boys, he somehow forgot his worries. With all his doubts, Seb was the perfect father material, and Marco was sure about it. And just one look could convince a stranger of the same.

“Where do we start?” He heard Seb asking when he got closer.

“Well, the Death Traps sure sounds interesting…” Ronnie said the last sentence Marco wanted to hear that day.

“Absolutely not!” Marco snapped. Just hearing of that place killed him a little bit.

“Don’t listen to him, Ronnie, he’s only afraid of it, cause he would shit his pants if he had to go through it. I’m saying we try it out.” Keith agreed. Marco sent him a cutting glance, but Seb’s heartfelt laughter brought him back to reality. He had promised himself that he wouldn’t let himself be provoked, and Keith managed to do it the first time already.

“Well, lead the way, then!” Seb clapped. “And we’re gonna show you that we aren’t as old as you think we are.”

“Great! Let’s make a contest out of it!” Ronnie was up for the idea immediately and started to run, but slowed down when he saw that not everyone shared his enthusiasm.

The Death Traps earned its name. It was twice as high up in the air as the first attraction Marco had seen and the safety net under it didn’t calm him down, either. The rope bridge was missing half of its deck and Marco wasn’t sure if it was planned this way or just the result of years-long use. The worst thing was that there was a black cloth around every base on the trees, hiding whatever was inside and the name of the whole thing suggested that those weren’t pleasant surprises.

“Afraid?” Seb stepped next to him with a playful jab in Marco’s ribs.

“Not at all.” Marco shook his head, but it couldn’t be really convincing, because he had to gulp the next second when he saw that one of the park’s workers was already putting the helmet on Ronnie.

 

* * *

 

Half an hour and countless attempts to turn back later, Marco got rid of the safety harness. He was soaking wet. He didn’t get what anyone would enjoy about this climbing up and down the trees with frightening figures lurking between the trees. Still, Ronnie looked like having the time of his life and it also meant that Keith was enjoying himself. Seb was somewhere between fun and the dread Marco was feeling. He tried his very best to conceal his honest emotions, but it was pointless against Marco and that finally made the blond laugh.

“What? Have you overestimated your own skills?” He patted Seb on the shoulders.

“Shut up! At least I didn’t whine.” He hit back, catching his breath.

“I didn’t, either.” Marco said, frightened that Ronnie or worse – Keith – had heard it.

“Oh, please. I was right next to you!” Seb gave him an exhausted look. “And I think that at one point, you were already making your peace with your Creator.” He smiled smugly.

“You bastard!” Marco told him off, but it turned into another laugh.

“Are you ready for the next obstacle course?” Keith stepped to them to make things worse. “Or do you need a break?” He inspected them. He was enjoying seeing their discomfort much more than the park itself.

“No, just go ahead! We’ll be right behind you!” Seb waved him away. He sounded like someone who was about to throw up.

“Seb, you know that you don’t have to do this, right? We could wait for them on the ground until they try everything out– or break their necks, whatever comes sooner.” Marco asked. He was honestly concerned about his love’s well-being.

“No, I’m fine.” Seb straightened up and started off on somewhat dizzy legs. “We can’t let them win! We’re going to make it, come on!”

Marco didn’t know what to think about Seb’s enthusiasm. On one hand, he was amused by his strong willpower, but on the other, he wanted to slap him for his stupid stubbornness. Whatever it was, it lasted only three courses. After that, Seb acknowledged his defeat and let Ronnie and Keith try things out on their own, leaving Marco and him on the ground, slowly drinking the fresh orange juice they had bought at a stand.

“I’m old, Marco!” Seb sighed when they were sitting on a bench, watching as Keith was explaining Ronnie how to tackle the next obstacle.

“You are not old!” Marco laughed out loud. “Well, you aren’t as young as you used to be, but that doesn’t mean that you should be giving up on everything.”

“Yes, but look at me! I can’t even make it through a few stupid walkways and rope ladders and climbing walls!” He shook his head with the same disappointment.

“Well, yes, you are right. You are an old and grumpy man. Have you already thought about retirement?” Marco mocked him, because he didn’t understand what all this fuss was about.

“I hate you!” Seb hissed when he understood that Marco was teasing him.

“Too bad I was about to invite you for that thing!” He pointed at a course. This one was on the ground but its floor was tilting from one side to the other. Marco’s stomach raised only by thinking about going through it, but he gathered that in his state, Seb wouldn’t notice it. Indeed, the younger one only grunted and turned his attention to the boys who were climbing up a rope. “That’s much more beautiful, isn’t it?” Marco said with shining eyes. Keith helped Ronnie up the last few inches and applauded him for his newest accomplishment. They looked so wonderful, lacking any problems and worries.

“I could definitely get used to it.” Seb nodded. He snuggled closer to Marco, rested his head on the blond’s shoulder and they entwined their fingers.

 

THE END

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the story is finished, I would like to thank you all once again for reading it and leaving kudos or comments. I appreciate the interest you showed in my work and I hope that you found it entertaining, you had fun reading it or it made you think - it doesn't really matter, as long as you found what you were looking for and even if you stopped reading it, thank you for giving it a chance. There's nothing more I can ask for. :-)
> 
> After this update, I will take a break from posting fanfiction, because I want to work on some original stories. I won't disappear completely from the site, but I don't think I will upload anything in the foreseeable future. My other WIP - Neighbor from Hell, Love from Heaven - will remain unfinished for the time being. I feel like that topic is much more serious than to leave it with the care and attention I can give it right now. I hope you understand, my primary aim is to give you stories worth your time and I'm not sure I can do that with this premise right now.


End file.
